Electricity is used everywhere--computers, lighting, industrial applications, medical devices, water heaters, TVs--the list is nearly endless. And in today's environment of wanting to do more with less, you need all the energy-saving tips you can get. Click on any of our information-packed energy solutions to help give you ideas on how you can save more and use less at work and at home.
Provide shade around your air conditioner, and it could reduce your cooling costs by nearly 3 percent.
Appliances and home electronics account for about 20 percent of your energy bill. Consider updating these items by shopping for ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and electronics. And, turn them off when not in use.
Unplug battery chargers when the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use.
Consider buying a laptop for your next computer upgrade; they use much less energy than desktop computers.
To save energy, match the size of your pan to the heating element on your stove.
Run only full loads of dishes, but be sure not to overload it.
Don't over-dry your clothes. If your machine has a moisture sensor, please use it.
Clean or replace your heating and cooling filters every month.
Replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and reduce your electricity usage for light by 75 percent.
Keep your oven door closed when baking. Every time you open the oven door, the temperature can drop 25 degrees.
Plant trees or shrubs to shade your air conditioner, but don’t plant too close or you’ll block airflow.
Turn off the lights when you leave a room.
Your electronics--such as TVs, phone chargers, and DVD players--use energy even when turned off. To save energy, unplug the gadgets. 75 percent of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while they're turned off.
Need to recycle electronics, CFLs, batteries, paint or other household waste? Visit
earth911.org to receive a list of recycling centers in your area.
Clean the condenser coils on your refrigerator once or twice a year so that your refrigerator works more efficiently.
To check for air leaks in refrigerator door gaskets, close the door on a dollar bill or strip of paper in several locations around the perimeter of each door. If you easily can remove the bill (or it falls out), the gasket needs to be adjusted or, more likely, replaced. Also perform a visual check of the gaskets, looking for breaks or deformed areas that may not be sealing properly—or traces of mildew that indicate air leaks. Source: Iowa Energy Center.
Set your refrigerator's temperature between 34 and 37 degrees, and your freezer at 5 degrees.
Set your thermostat to 85 degrees if you're going to be away from home for several days or more.
Install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer.
When shopping for a new clothes washer, look for the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR clothes washers clean clothes using 50 percent less energy than standard washers.
Set your water heater's thermostat to "normal" or 120 degrees.
To save energy and cut down on your water bill, take a shower instead of a bath.
Weather-strip around the seams of your air conditioner to provide better insulation, and reduce cooling costs.