ENERGY STAR labeled appliances, electronics and lights will help you save money throughout your entire home. Look for the yellow label when shopping for new items.

 

Kitchen

The kitchen can amount to 15-20% of your monthly energy use, which includes appliance use and refrigeration

  • Turn off coffee makes when not in use.
  • If rinsing dirty dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, do so with cold water.
  • Use cold water for garbage disposal.
  • Only run dishwasher when fully loaded.

Refrigerator

  • Ensure refrigerator door seals are tight. Eliminate unnecessary refrigerators.
  • Use your refrigerator's anti-sweat feature only if necessary.
  • Switch your refrigerator's power-saver to "ON" if available.
  • Clean refrigerator coils annually.
  • Regularly defrost refrigerator or freezer to avoid ice buildup.
  • Set the refrigerator temperature to 34o-37oF and the freezer temperature to 0o-5oF.
  • Unplug unused refrigerators or freezers. Recycle them if you do not need them.

Cooking

  • Use microwave for cooking when possible.
  • When cooking on the oven range, use pot lids to help food cook faster.
  • If you are heating water on the stove, use hot tap water instead of cold.
  • Remember to use the kitchen exhaust fan when cooking. Turn it off after cooking.
  • Use a slow-cooker instead of simmering foods on the stove.

 

Laundry Room

Laundry can amount to 5-9% of your monthly energy use.

Washer

  • Wash clothes in cold water. Use hot water only for very dirty loads.
  • Only do full laundry loads.
  • If you must do smaller loads, adjust the water level in the washing machine to match the load size, especially when using hot water.
  • Always use cold-water rinse.
  • Use bath towels at least twice before washing them.

Dryer

  • Clean your dryer's lint trap before each load.
  • Make sure your dyer's outdoor exhaust door is not blocked or clogged.
  • Verify dryer vent hose is tightly connected to inside wall fitting.
  • Check that the dryer vent hose is tightly connected to dryer.
  • Minimize clothes drying time. Use an auto moisture sensor on dryer if available.
  • Dry consecutive loads to harvest heat remaining in dryer from last load.
  • In hot weather, avoid running the dryer during the heat of the day
  • Consider using a "solar-powered" clothes dryer: an old fashioned clothes line.

 

Water Heater

Water heating can amount to 12% of your monthly energy use.

  • Set both the upper and lower water heater thermostats no higher than 120oF. For households with 1 or 2 members, a 115oF setting is best.
  • Install water heater wrap, also known as a water heater blanket, per manufacturer's instructions.
  • Drain 1-2 gallons from bottom of water heater each year to reduce sediment build up.
  • Install heat traps on hot and cold water lines when it's time to replace your water heater.
  • Insulate exposed hot water lines. 
  • Limit shower lengths to 5-7 minutes.
  • Fix dripping faucets.
  • Don't let water run while you are shaving or brushing your teeth.

 

Electronics

Plug loads around the home can add up to 8-10% of monthly energy use.

Indoors

  • Plug electronic devices, such as cable boxes, printers and TVs, into power strips to turn off when not in use. Smart power strips make it an easy task to save money.
  • Turn computers and monitors off when not in use.
  • When buying a new computer, consider buying a laptop. It uses less energy than a comparable desktop.
  • Turn large-screen TVs off completely when not in use.
  • Check for energy-saving settings on flat-panel TVs, such as automatic brightness control and a power-saving sleep mode.
  • Request an ENERGY STAR set-top box from your cable or satellite provider.
  • Turn off stereos and radios when not in use.
  • Enable auto power down feature on gaming consoles.
  • Use energy-saving modes or automatic sleep function on electronics if you don't unplug them.
  • Remember to turn off hair curling irons and hot rollers.
  • Make sure electric blankets are turned off in the morning.

Outside

  • Turn off pool pumps and heaters when not needed.
  • Verify livestock water tank heaters are off when not needed.
  • Make sure heat tape is off when not needed.
  • Unplug battery chargers when not needed.