MANAGE YOUR ENERGY
For more detailed information, download our brochure How to Control Your Electric Bill.
Appliance CostsOur appliance cost chart gives basic information the typical cost of each type of appliance. Heating & CoolingHeating and cooling costs are usually the biggest part of your energy bill. Here you can lean more about it and how to use heating and cooling efficiently. Your Electric Energy DollarWe have a pie chart showing how much each category of energy-using systems take out of your electric energy dollar. LightingLearn about the different types of lighting and which is best for efficient use. Water HeatingWater heating is usually a big energy consumer. Learn how water heaters work, and how you can reduce your water heating costs. Heat PumpsLearn all about heat pumps and how to use them wisely in this section. Portable GeneratorsSMECO offers some information to consider before and after you purchase a portable generator. Electrical DisturbancesLearn about how lightning strikes and other problems can affect your computer equipment. |
Do you have an extra refrigerator or freezer that is really not needed? Older models can cost between $10 and $20 per month to operate. The cost is significantly higher if the refrigerator or freezer is in a garage or shed.
Are there a lot of lights left on when not needed? A single 100-watt bulb uses $1.65 worth of electricity each month. If you leave many lights on for long periods of time, the cost adds up quickly.
Are you running your furnace fan continuously? The fan in a large oil furnace fan can easily consume $50 of electricity in a month if running 24/7. Switch the fan to the “Auto” setting and significantly reduce this amount.
If you have a waterbed, do you make the bed after you wake up? Placing a comforter on a waterbed can save about $3.65 each month.
Do you leave your computer on continuously? Computers use relatively little power, but most people can save several dollars a month by turning off their computers and related equipment when not in use.
Do you take really long showers? Most people don’t realize that the cost of hot water is about 25 percent of their energy bill. Shortening showers from 10 minutes to 5 minutes can save about $5 per month.
Do you wash clothes in hot water? If you can switch to cold water and wash one load a day, you could save about $16 each month.
Adjusting your thermostat can bring substantial savings. During the winter, lowering your thermostat from 72 degrees to 68 degrees can decrease your heating costs by about 21 percent. During the summer, raising your thermostat from 72 degrees to 78 degrees can decrease cooling costs by about 40 percent. For an average four-ton heat pump or air conditioner, these strategies can save about $170 during the winter and $130 during the summer.
A small space heater left on the high setting can consume about $100 in a month if left on continuously. Space heaters are effective at providing some heat in an area but if left on for long periods of time can really gobble up electricity!
If you have electric baseboard heaters the bad news is that they are about the most expensive form of heat. The good news is that they can be easily turned off or turned down in rooms where heat is not needed.
The sun’s energy is free! Take advantage of this free energy by opening window shades on sunny days on south facing glass in the winter. In the summer do the opposite: close shades and blinds to keep out the sun’s energy.
When drying clothes, use your dryer’s automatic drying feature (if there is one) instead of time drying. Be sure that you dryer vent is not clogged and remember that the sun will dry your clothes for free!
Make sure your heating system operates efficiently. The most important things you can do as a homeowner are changing your filters and making sure your outdoor unit is not blocked by leaves, debris and snow. A dirty filter on a heat pump can use excess auxiliary heat and drive up your electric bill. If you suspect that your system is not working properly, have it checked by a professional! If you do not have a contractor, why not look at the SMECO SelectHVAC contractor list? SMECO also offers tips for troubleshooting your heat pump.
Is your thermostat saving you money? SMECO strongly recommends a programmable thermostat for homeowners who have oil, gas, and electric furnaces and who are away during the day. Aggressive settings might save 10 percent to 30 percent on heating bills. For homeowners with heat pumps, programmable thermostats are a good idea but savings are much more modest. Programmable thermostats are also a good idea for people who leave the house during the day during the summer and can tolerate a higher thermostat setting for their heat pump or air conditioner while they are away. Savings can range from 10 percent to 30 percent depending on the settings.
Water heating is usually the second largest energy consumer in the home. Inexpensive ways to reduce hot water consumption include installing low flow showerheads, turning down the temperature on the water heater to 120 degrees, and insulating the hot water tank. The cost savings will vary but could easily add up to $16 per month for a family of four.
Do you use timers for appliances such as pool pumps, lights, and block heaters? A timer simply turns an appliance on and off and saves money by reducing its run time. There are many applications for timers. A timer for your bathroom fan can prevent the fan from running all day and sucking all the warm air or cool air out of your house. See the chart below for other ways to use appliance timers.
Device |
Daily run time |
Savings |
|---|---|---|
Pool pump, 1 hp |
12 hours instead of 24 hours |
$35 |
Block heater, 1,500 watts |
2 hours instead of 12 hours |
$40 |
Quartz floodlight, 500 watts |
4 hours instead of 12 hours |
$11 |
Do you use compact fluorescent light bulbs? Compact fluorescents normally last about 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. While most homes use relatively little electricity for lighting, a compact fluorescent bulb can save you $45 in purchase and operating costs over the bulb’s lifetime.
Is your house weatherized? The SMECO PowerWise program will conduct an energy audit on your home and implement many weatherization measures to save you money. In most cases, the cost of the program (varies between $25-$75 based on home type) will be paid back in energy savings in a short time.
When you shop for a new appliance do you look for Energy Star appliances? The Energy Star label makes it easy to determine if an appliance is energy efficient. You can even build a new Energy Star home that will save you about 30 percent on your utility costs.
Replacement windows are high on the list of many owners of older homes. Although replacing windows is usually very expensive and takes a long time to pay back in energy costs, many people still make window replacement a high priority. Be sure to make a wise energy choice with windows by understanding key items such as Low-E glass, U-value, shading coefficient, and the NFRC label.
When buying new heating and air conditioning equipment, higher efficiency numbers mean lower operating costs. For heat pumps be sure to look at both the Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) and the Heating Season Performance Factor (HSPF). For fossil fuel appliances be sure to compare the Annual Fuel Utilitization Index (AFUE). But the equipment is usually only half the story. Most heating and cooling equipment relies on ducts to carry the warm or cool air to each room. Keeping your ducts insulated and free of leaks will save you money. Use SMECO’s PowerWise Program to fix ducts or visit the following links for a greater in depth discussion of this topic.
The greatest loss of heat in many homes is through excessive leakiness and draftiness, and usually older homes are the most leaky. The most effective way to identify leaks is through a blower door test of your home. SMECO provides blower door testing through our Energy Star and PowerWise programs. Keep in mind that it is much easier and more effective to seal a home tight while a home is being built. There are many resources available to help guide in effectively sealing and tightening a home if you wish to do it yourself.
Do you have adequate insulation levels in your home? The Department of Energy has specific recommendations for insulation. SMECO’s PowerWise program offers a rebate for increasing insulation in existing homes. It’s relatively easy to insulate an attic or basement, a little more difficult to insulate a crawlspace, and much more difficult to insulate existing walls.