What you can do

Take advantage of these no-cost and low-cost ways to reduce your energy usage and lower your monthly utility bill.

In the laundry room

Wash clothes in cold water. The largest expense in washing clothes is heating the water.
If you need to wash in hot water, use a cold rinse.
Select the appropriate water level for the load size being washed.
Do not overload the machine.
Wash only full loads with the correct amount of detergent. Over stuffing makes the machine work harder.
Use appropriate cycles and spin speeds to extract water from the clothing. Less water means less drying time.
Hang clothes outside on a clothes line, especially heavier items like rugs and towels, and reduce your energy use to zero.
Clean the dryer's lint filter before each use. A filter covered with lint blocks air circulation, making the dryer work harder.
Dry only full loads.
Dry loads one right after another. You will use less energy because the dryer is already heated.
Avoid over-drying clothes. Remove clothes promptly at the end of the cycle.
Hang wrinkled clothes in the bathroom when you shower. Warm, moist air relaxes wrinkles so that you do not have to iron.
Buy an ENERGY STAR rated clothes washer when replacing your old washer. ENERGY STAR rated washers reduce energy and water consumption by 50%.

Your Water Heater

Set the thermostat at 120º F. Usually, water heaters are set at 140º F.
Check the temperature of the water in your water heater. To do this, draw water through the bottom faucet and measure the temperature with a cooking thermometer. CAUTION: Turn off the circuit breaker before you adjust the temperature on an electric water heater.
Add an insulated "blanket" around the water heater. A well-insulated water heater should save between $8 to $20 a year in energy costs. Savings increase if the water heater is located in an unheated area.
Drain a gallon of water every three months through the faucet at the bottom of the water heater to remove sediment. Sediment in the bottom of the tank decreases energy efficiency.
Insulate water pipes with pipe insulation.
Buy an energy-efficient water heater. If your water heater is at least 10 years old, plan ahead to find an energy-efficient replacement.

In the kitchen

Most of the energy used by a dishwasher goes to heat the water.
Wash only full loads in an automatic dishwasher.
If you wash dishes daily, omit the pre-rinse cycle. Scrape dishes instead of rinsing - you'll save both water and energy.
Keep drains clean in the dishwasher.
Select a cycle with no final drying time or air dry dishes.
Buy a dishwasher with an energy saver cycle.
Install the dishwasher away from the refrigerator.
Maintain a temperature between 0º and 5ºF for your freezer. A lower temperature only uses more electricity.
Keep the frost level below 1/4 inch. A thick layer of frost increases the electricity used.
Replace worn or loose gaskets.
Keep the freezer full. A partially filled freezer uses more electricity than a full freezer. If the freezer is empty, unplug it. Remove the door to prevent accidents.
Locate the freezer in the basement or other cool, dry space.
Open and close the freezer door as few times as possible.
Use moisture- and vapor-proof containers or wraps. Do not freeze food in waxed paper or regular plastic bags.
Buy a freezer that is ENERGY STAR™ approved.
A chest type freezer uses less electricity than an upright model.
Use a microwave oven to decrease food cooking time and costs. For example, baking potatoes for one hour in a conventional oven costs more than baking potatoes for about 10 minutes in a microwave oven.
Keep the microwave oven clean so that waves concentrate on cooking food rather than the spills.
Reheat food or beverages in a microwave oven instead of on a stove.
Use small, portable appliances such as an electric fry pan or a slow cooker. Both use less electricity than large or small range burners.
Use pots and pans that match the size of the burner. For example, use a frying pan with a nine-inch diameter bottom on an eight-inch range burner.
Replace pots and pans that are rounded on the bottom. A flat-bottomed pan on a burner conducts heat more efficiently.
Use lids when cooking to retain heat and decrease cooking time.
Turn off electric burners several minutes before the food is cooked. The heating element contains enough heat to finish the job.
Keep the condenser coils at the back or bottom of the refrigerator clean. Remove the dust every three months. If you have pets, clean the coils more frequently.
Keep the gasket around the doors clean and in good condition. Food on the gasket creates a place where cooled air can escape. Replace cracked or worn gaskets.
Set controls to maintain a temperature between 35º and 40ºF in the refrigerator. Use a thermometer to check for the correct temperatures. A refrigerator that freezes vegetables or milk needs the temperature adjusted or the thermostat replaced.
Open and close refrigerator doors as quickly as possible.
Keep the refrigerator filled, but not overfilled. If you do not keep a full refrigerator, place filled containers of water on the shelves to retain the cold.
If you have a second refrigerator that is empty, turn it off. Use the unit only when needed.
Buy a refrigerator with the freezer on the top. The side-by-side and bottom-mount models use more electricity.
Buy appliances such as refrigerators and dishwashers that carry the ENERGY STAR™ label.

In the bathroom

Install low-flow shower heads. A low-flow shower head reduces water use from 5 gallons a minute to 1 to 3 gallons a minute. Conserving hot water cuts down water-heating expenses.
Repair leaky hot water faucets immediately. One drip each second equals 200 gallons of water a month.
Take a shower instead of a bath. Take a bath only for longer, lounging time. You will save electricity used to heat water.

In the entertainment room

Turn the TV and stereo off when nobody is watching or listening.
Shut down your computer and remember to turn off the monitor when it's not being used.
Home electronics with the ENERGY STAR label use 50% less energy.

Lighting your home

Turn off lights not being used.
Replace incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lights.
Avoid over lighting a room. Lower the level of the general lighting. Then, add task lighting to improve the quality of light and save electricity.
Keep all lamps and lighting fixtures clean.
Take advantage of daylight as much as possible.
Use a 100-watt incandescent light instead of two 60-watt fluorescent lights. The 100-watt light puts out more usable light.
Consider replacing a light fixture that burns three 100-watt incandescent lights with a fixture that uses two 4-foot fluorescent tubes. The energy-efficient fluorescent system would use about 75 watts of electricity compared to 300 watts for the incandescent fixture.

Heating your home

Set the thermostat as low as possible. Keeping the thermostat set between 65º and 68ºF will dramatically reduce your heating bills. Remember, as well, to turn down the thermostat when you are sleeping or when you are not at home.
Install a programmable thermostat to automatically control temperature settings.
Change or clean furnace filters monthly during the fall and winter seasons.
Heat your home naturally. When the sun is shining open draperies and curtains and allow the sun to warm the room. Once the sun has gone down, close the draperies and curtains to keep heat in.
Seal air leaks around doors and windows. A crack around the outside door is like a cracked gasket on a refrigerator that allows the warm air escape and cooler air in.
Check for adequate insulation. (R-49 rated insulation in ceilings and R-18 rated insulation in exterior walls.)
Schedule yearly maintenance by a heating and cooling contractor.
Keep the flue damper closed when the fireplace is not in use. Better yet, install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system.
Check air ducts for leaks and seal leaks with duct tape. Insulate air ducts in unconditioned spaces (such as an unfinished basement).
Select ENERGY STAR rated equipment when you buy new heating equipment.