The following are some ways to help reduce your usage of electricity every month. Lowering your energy usage not only helps the environment, but it will help to lower your monthly bill.
Refrigerator/Freezer:
- Refrigerators should be set at temperatures between 36 and 38 degrees.
- Freezers should be set between 0 and 5 degrees.
- Keep your freezer full, even with bags of ice. But defrost your freezer if ice builds up within it.
- Keep your refrigerator at least three quarters full and space items to allow air to flow around them.
- Refrigerators and freezers use the most energy of any other appliance in your home. If you have a "spare" freezer, make sure it's worth the cost to use.
- Keep the refrigerator door closed as much as possible.
- If you need to defrost something from your freezer, put it in the refrigerator.
- Make sure that the plastic strips around your refrigerator doors are in good condition and form an airtight seal around the door.
Laundry:
- Wash full (but not overloaded) loads of laundry at a lower temperature.
- If you have more than one load of laundry, do them one right after the other.
- Avoid using excessive detergent when washing.
- Use automatic dry cycles whenever possible to avoid overdrying.
- Clean the lint catcher after every use of the dryer.
- Consider a shorter dry cycle and finish drying your clothes on hangers or outside in the sun.
Air Conditioner:
- If your thermostat can be programmed, use it. You may not remember to turn it off or down when you leave the house.
- Even a single degree of temperature could lead to significant differences in your energy usage. Keep the temperature set as high as possible while still being comfortable.
- Keep blinds and curtains closed in unoccupied rooms during the day.
- Before going to bed, try opening a window instead of running your air conditioner.
- Keep your filter clean. Most air conditioner filters should be cleaned monthly.
Lighting
- Turn lights off when you aren't in a room.
- Use energy-saving light bulbs with a lower wattage.
- If your light contains multiple sockets for light bulbs, use only enough bulbs for proper illumination.
- Illuminate according to your needs. In locations where you will be working, reading, or cooking, use brighter lights. In locations that are infrequently used or do not need to be highly illuminated, use less-bright lights.
- Use natural light if it's available to save on the energy usage of your internal lights, but keep in mind that during the summer this could make your air conditioner work harder.
- Keep your light bulbs free of dust and particles.
Other
- When you come home from work, turn off all the lights your kids have left on.
Stove/Oven
- Cook multiple items at the same time instead of one after the other.
- Cover your items with lids whenever possible.
- When boiling water, do not use more water than necessary.
- Try to cook in the microwave as an alternative.
