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Use a microwave, outdoor grill, pressure or solar cooker

Cooking on a stove or using your kitchen oven, even for about an hour a day, can raise the overall temperature in your home by as much as four degrees. Heating caused by using your oven or stove makes it more difficult for your air conditioning thermostat to maintain proper room temperature. Using a microwave (which uses 66% less energy) or grilling outside can ease some of the burden on your air conditioning system, lowering your summer energy bills.

Go even greener by trying solar cooking! Search online for “solar oven retailers” or find instructions for making your own at home. Pressure cookers are another tool to save energy, and may be up to 70% more efficient than other cooking methods due to drastically reduced cooking times.

Check temperature settings on your refrigerator and freezer

The EPA recommends keeping refrigerators between 34 to 40°F and freezers between 0 and 5°F. To test the temperature in a freezer, place a thermometer between frozen packages and check the reading after 24 hours. For the refrigerator, place a thermometer in a glass of water and set it in the center of the fridge for 24 hours before taking the reading. Limiting the frequency of opening and closing doors helps to keep the temperature consistent, saving energy and preserving food longer. Learn more about refrigerator and freezer temperatures from EnergySavers.gov.

Check out more fridge and freezer energy tips from the Consumer Energy Center.

Wash clothes in cold water at least 75% of the time

When you wash your clothes in hot water, only 10% of the required energy goes to running the machine; 90% goes to heating the water. In most cases, cold water cleans clothing just as well as warm water. Cold water washing results in the biggest energy savings, but even switching temperature settings from hot to warm can cut the energy used to heat a machine load of water in half. Learn more about the benefits of washing in cold water and other energy-saving laundry tips.

Set your water heater's maximum temperature to 120°F

You can reduce your water heating costs by simply lowering the thermostat setting on your water heater. For each 10°F reduction in water temperature, you can save between 3–5% in energy costs. The recommended temperature for optimal savings is 120°F. Reducing your water temperature also slows mineral buildup and corrosion in your water heater and pipes; this helps your water heater last longer and operate at maximum efficiency.

Check out more water heating tips from EnergySavers.gov.

Safety Concerns: Water heaters set at 140°F pose risks of scalding and burns, especially for children. Lowering the temperature can, however, create more risk for Legionnaires Disease. Search online for details if this is a concern.

Install low-flow showerheads

You can reduce the amount of energy used for water heating by needing less water when you shower. Federal regulations mandate that new showerhead flow rates cannot exceed 2.5 gallons per minute at 80 pounds per square inch. A low-flow showerhead can achieve water savings of 25-60%. Learn more about low-flow showerheads from EnergySavers.gov. Check out this video to learn how to install a low-flow showerhead.

Potomac Edison customers with electric hot water can receive a low-flow showerhead with a Home Energy Check Up

Choosing a low-flow showerhead does not mean that you have to sacrifice the great feeling of a therapeutic shower. There is a wide variety of showerheads available to suit your specific needs. Look for products at your local hardware store with the WaterSense label to ensure maximum water savings.

Install low-flow faucet aerators

Aerators cut water use by 30% or more and save money on water and energy bills. By installing faucet aerators, the average household can save over 500 gallons of water per year. Learn more about low-flow aerators from EnergySavers.gov. 

Low-volume faucet aerators are very inexpensive and can be installed without replacing the entire faucet. Look for products at your local hardware store with the WaterSense label to ensure maximum water savings. A newer kitchen faucet usually comes with a low-flow faucet aerator that restricts flow to 2.2 gpm, but should you need to replace it, or install one on a bathroom faucet, be sure to select one with a flow rate of no more than 1.0 gpm.

Potomac Edison customers with electric hot water can receive a low-flow aerator with a Home Energy Checkup