Simple Steps to Savings

Reducing your energy usage doesn’t have to take a lot of time or money. Try these simple steps to energy savings in your home. Also, click HERE to see even MORE tips.

Set the thermostat on your water heater to 120. This can save 6-10% on your bill*
Wash your clothes in cold water. Cold cleans just as well as warm and saves on your heating bill.
Set the refrigerator temperature to 36-38. Set the freezer temperature to 0-5.
UNPLUG your appliances when they aren’t in use.
Set your thermostat to 68 in the winter. Each degree you drop will save you $40 a year. Buy an adjustable thermostat. This device can save you upwards of $250 a year.*
Weather-strip doors and windows. It’s a cheap and easy way to chill proof your home.Sealing and Insulating your home can reduce your heating and cooling costs by as much as 30%. Weather-strip doors and windows, use insulating blinds/shades. Only 20% of homes built before 1980 are well insulated.
Switch all your lights to CFLs. The average home can save about $80 a year*
Install a low flow showerhead. Save on water and heating.
Fix leaky faucets. Thirty drops of water per minute can waste up to 50 gallons of water per month.
Turn your lights off when not in use. One bulb left on all year costs $25.00*
About 10% of your energy bill is spent lighting your home. Switching to CFL’s can save the average home more than $80 a year.
Put stereos, computers etc. on the same power surge protector strip. Turn OFF when not in use.
Rethink your outdoor lights. You save energy by switching to efficient outdoor lighting. Instead of a standard light, think of installing a motion sensor light to decrease energy use.
Buy an Energy Star washing machine. You’ll save $50 a year in utility bills, 7,000 gallons of water and hours of time thanks to a faster drying time. To save even more remember to wash with cold water, wash and dry only full loads and clean the lint filter after each load.
Buy a dishwasher! Why? You can save 5,000 gallons of water each year and $40 in utility costs using a dishwasher instead of washing dishes by hand. Use the air-dry option to save even more
Nearly 5% of all the energy used in the United States is used to air condition homes. Consider using a fan, or other natural methods before using an air conditioner. Opening windows in the morning to capture cool air, and sealing your house before the heat starts, can reduce electric costs by as much as 25% in the summer months.
Keep your fridge full - with water. An empty refrigerator wastes energy. Fill the unused space with plastic water jugs to minimize cold air loss.
Have a chimney? Close the flue when not in use. Never use it? Plug and seal it.
Weatherize your home with new doors, windows and insulation. EPUD can arrange rebates, incentives and zero-interest loans to qualified applicants. Call 746-1583.
Get a FREE energy audit! Call 746-1583 or email energyservices@epud.org.

For more ideas on how to reduce your bill visit the High Bill Resolution Center.

Average Home Energy Usage:

Where is your money going? Following is a closer look at where the average home uses the most energy:

Space Heating- 35.2%
Water Heating- 13.1%
Space Cooling- 10.8%
Lighting- 9.7%
Refrigeration- 6.6%
Electronics- 6.5%
Cooking -4.5%
Clothes Dryers/Dish washers-4.3%
Computers 1%
Other 8.4%

*Source: US Department of Energy