Energy Usage at Home
Many customers are being directed to work from home by their employers. When you are staying at home, you’re using more energy. Below are some tips to help keep costs down.
Change Your Air Filter
A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm, wasting energy. At a minimum, change the filter every three months.
Program Your Thermostat
Set it at 68 degrees Fahrenheit or lower—the recommended setting for winter. Dress appropriately for the weather, and on cold nights, put an extra blanket on the bed and lower your thermostat another degree or two to save even more.
Water Heater Maintenance
Drain a quart of water from your hot water tank every three months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. Check your owner's manual and follow the manufacturer's advice when performing this operation.
Put Your Computer to Sleep or Shut it Off
Make sure your computers automatically switch to "sleep mode" or manually turn off your monitor when not in use.
Dishwasher Tips
- Running Full Loads - Load it up. Dishwashers use about the same energy and water regardless of the number of dishes inside, so run full loads whenever possible.
- Scrape, Don't Rinse - Rinsing dishes can use up to 20 gallons of water before the dishes are even loaded. Save yourself the rinsing just scrape food off dishes.
- Setting Air-Dry Option - Use the air-dry option. Avoid using the heat-dry, rinse-hold and pre-rinse features.
- Setting Water Temperature - Check the manual that came with your dishwasher for the manufacturer recommendation on water temperature. It may have an internal heating element that allows you to set the water heater in your home to a lower temperature.