Energy Conservation Tips

It’s hard to imagine life without electricity. In our homes, we rely on it to power our lights, appliances, and electronics. Many of us also use electricity to provide our homes with hot water, heat, and air conditioning. As valuable and convenient as electricity is, it’s important to be aware of and control our energy usage whenever possible.

There are a number of easy ways to conserve electricity without reducing your comfort or convenience. Paying attention to the following areas can help you incorporate energy efficiency into your daily life while helping you cut costs.

In the Kitchen

Dishwasher

Make sure you load the dishwasher properly. Avoid blocking dispensers or spray arms.
Only run the dishwasher when it is filled to capacity, but do not overload. A dishwasher uses an average of 15 gallons of hot water per load plus electricity.
Always choose the shortest washing cycle possible to clean your dishes.
Use the “power-saver switch” (if available) to eliminate the drying cycle.
On hot days, wait and run your dishwasher at night to keep from adding extra heat in the house.

Refrigerator/Freezer

Stove/Oven

Oven cooking is more economical than surface cooking because surface cooking uses energy continuously.
When using the oven, if you are baking more than one dish, bake them both at the same time to conserve energy.
Warming foods with the oven’s stored heat afterwards uses no energy. However, if food needs to be kept warm for an extended period of time, set the oven temperature to 140ºF to 200ºF.
Instead of using the oven, use small appliances such as a microwave oven, air fryer, grill, toaster, or toaster oven whenever possible as these all use less energy.
When using the cooking surface, choose pots and pans that cover the heating elements evenly.
You may also want to try using a crock-pot or slow-cooker to save time and energy.

In the Laundry Room

Washing Machine

Clothes Dryer

Throughout the Home

Heating and Cooling

Thermostat

Ideal Summer Settings

When you’re home: 75-80ºF
When you’re away for 8+ hours: 80-85ºF
(80ºF maximum if four-legged family members are home)

Ideal Winter Settings

When you’re home: 65-68ºF
When you’re away for 8+ hours: 60-65ºF
(60ºF minimum if four-legged family members are home)

Adjusting Your Thermostat

If you adjust the setting on the thermostat too much, you can cause extra strain on your HVAC system which will wear it down faster. However, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% a year on heating and cooling by simply turning your thermostat back 7°-10°F for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. Try to only change the temperature in 8-hour increments and use a programmable thermostat to set a schedule.

Insulation

Add weather-stripping around exterior doors and windows that have a draft.
Check the insulation in attic or basement spaces.
Use outlet plugs to close the holes on exterior walls when not in use.
Apply caulk around light fixtures and other gaps.
Install foam outlet sealers to help protect against drafts.

HEC is happy to come check your home for areas that need better insulation. Schedule a free home energy audit today!

Regular Maintenance

Have your HVAC system checked by a specialist annually before the heating or cooling season begins.
If your system should need major repairs, consider the costs. If your system is more than 15 years old, you may be better off replacing it with energy-efficient equipment, such as a heat pump. The savings in operating costs can quickly make up for the initial cost and you could be eligible for a rebate through our Energy Save & Earn Program.
Replace your air filter every month to improve the efficiency of your HVAC system and prolong the life of your equipment.

Did You Know?

Heating and cooling account for just over half of the energy used in a typical U.S. home, making them the largest energy expenses for most homes.

Lighting & Other Devices

Update Your Lights

Reduce Use

Hot Water

Optimize Your Equipment

Reduce Use

Did You Know?

Next to home heating and cooling, your hot water heater is the largest energy user.

Looking for More Ways to Better the Environment?

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Energy Conservation Tips

Jump to:

In the Kitchen

In the Laundry Room

Throughout the Home

Heating and Cooling

Ideal Summer Settings

Ideal Winter Settings

Adjusting Your Thermostat

Did You Know?

Lighting & Other Devices

Hot Water

Did You Know?

Looking for More Ways to Better the Environment?

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