Try a few easy measures and see how much you save on your electricity bill. You'll wonder why you didn't put your energy into conservation sooner.
Let your dishes air dry. A dishwasher uses more energy to dry dishes than to wash them. If your dishwasher doesn't have an automatic air-dry switch, turn off the control knob after the final rinse and prop the door open to let moisture escape.
When purchasing a dishwasher, look for energy saving features such as a short wash cycle. Shorter washing cycles, with fewer rinses, save water and water-heating energy.
Use your dishwasher only for full loads. Be sure your dishwasher is full, but not overloaded when you turn it on. Improper loading can result in poorly cleaned dishes that need to be rewashed.
Keep your refrigerator and freezer filled for most economical operation. Less cold air is lost when the door is opened in a filled refrigerator because the food helps retain the cold.
Adjust refrigerator settings to 37° F - 40° F and freezer settings to 0° F - 5° F. To check the temperature of your refrigerator or freezer, place an outdoor or refrigeration thermometer on the middle shelf or in the center overnight. In the morning, adjust the settings if necessary and check it again until correct.
Clean refrigerator coils twice a year, more often if you have pets. Condenser coils are located at the bottom or rear of your refrigerator. If they are allowed to accumulate dust and dirt as much as 25 percent more energy is required to maintain proper temperature.
Allow foods to partially cool before placing them in the refrigerator. It takes more energy to cool hot food. For added savings, cover foods and liquids. The moisture that is released by uncovered containers increases energy use during the refrigerator's defrost cycle.
If you have a freezer or second refrigerator that is nearly empty, turn it off. Use second appliances only when necessary or have them removed.
Install your dishwasher away from your refrigerator. The dishwasher's heat and moisture make the refrigerator work harder. Keep your refrigerator away from other heat sources such as direct sunlight.
Select a refrigerator with a freezer on top. A side-by side unit uses up to 20 percent more energy. The Energy Guide label will help you choose the most efficient model.
Cover pots and pans with tight-fitting covers. Trapped steam allows the food to cook faster.
Use pots and pans with flat bottoms and match pan size to the size of the electric surface unit. If a pan is too big or has a warped bottom, food won't cook evenly. Energy is wasted if the pan is too small.
Use a microwave or convection oven instead of a conventional oven whenever possible. Microwave ovens use about one-third and convection ovens about two-thirds of the energy used by conventional ovens to cook the same amount of food.
Turn off your electric range two to three minutes before the end of cooking time. Retained heat will finish the cooking.
Use portable appliances for specialized cooking tasks. Appliances such as toaster ovens and slow cookers use less energy.
Don't preheat the oven. It isn't necessary to preheat the oven except for food requiring high temperatures and slow cooking times.
Cook by time and temperature. Don't open the oven door to peek at cooking food. The temperature drops 25° F to 30° F each time the oven door is opened.
Make use of the oven's leftover heat. Your oven retains heat for I5 to 30 minutes after it is turned off. Use that free heat to warm up desserts, rolls or freshen crackers and cookies.
Glass and ceramic pans retain heat better than metal pans. Lower the baking temperature 25° F when using glass and ceramic pans.
Use the self-cleaning oven feature only when really necessary. Start the self-cleaning cycle right after cooking while the oven is still hot. Less energy will be required to reach cleaning temperature.
Wash full loads only, but don't overload. It takes about as much energy to wash a small load as it does to wash a full load. Full loads also save water.
Wash and rinse in cold or warm water instead of hot whenever possible. Remember that energy is used to heat the water as well as to run the washer.
Set the thermostat on your water heater at 120° F. This temperature is normally adequate for home use and will save a considerable amount of energy. If you have a dishwasher check the manufacturer's specifications to see if the temperature needs adjusting.
Follow detergent directions for your particular washer and avoid oversudsing. Oversudsing makes your washer work harder, so always measure detergent carefully instead of estimating the amount to use.
Dry similar items together in full loads. Sort clothes by thickness to avoid running an additional cycle for only a few slow-drying items.
Select the correct drying time. Don't overdry your clothes. Besides wasting energy, overdrying can give clothes a harsh feel and cause unnecessary wrinkling and shrinkage.
Dry consecutive loads. The energy used to bring the dryer up to operating temperature shouldn't be allowed to go to waste.
Remove clothes from the dryer as soon as tumbling stops. If clothes become wrinkled from lying in the dryer, extra energy must be used to iron or dry them again.
Partially line-dry bulky and heavy items. Articles such as rugs and bedspreads should be partially line-dried to avoid overworking your dryer.
Clean the lint filter after each load to maintain full airflow and maximize drying efficiency. A clogged filter slows drying and wastes energy.
Check the reliability of your thermostat. Place a thermometer next to the thermostat and check the degree readings of each. If they vary more than a couple of degrees, replace the thermostat.
Don't fiddle with thermostats. Set your thermostat at 68° F or lower for heating and 78° F or higher for cooling. At bedtime set the thermostat at 55° F.
Insulate your home. Wall, ceiling, floor and attic insulation will keep warmth in during the winter and heat out during the summer.
Never turn your thermostat way up or way down to speed up the heating or cooling process. This will force your unit to work harder, stay on longer and use more energy.
Check all insulation and duct work for air leaks. Repair leaks as needed, using approved materials and methods.
Keep draperies drawn and windows closed. This will prevent cool air from escaping and warm air from seeping in through glass areas. Weather-strip and seal around all doors and windows.
Seal off unused rooms. Turn thermostats off and leave vents closed in unoccupied rooms to save energy.
Help your air conditioner work more efficiently. During the summer, try to limit the afternoon use of heat-producing appliances in the kitchen and laundry areas. Clean or replace filters regularly.
Don't turn your heater on if you don't need it. Try warming up with a sweater first. Turn the heater off when you're not home.
Turn off lights when they are not being used. For added savings, install compact fluorescent bulbs in your lighting fixtures. They use one-quarter of the energy that an incandescent bulb uses and last 10 times as long.
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