Conserve Electricity All Day

Summary: Reducing unnecessary electricity usage throughout the day saves money and the environment.

Description

Did you know? There are numerous ways to conserve electricity throughout the day, many of which produce savings with very little money or effort involved and have minimal impact on our daily lives. Visit our Steps to Take page to see a list of suggestions. 

Deep Dive

Steps to Take

There are numerous ways at varied price points to reduce your overall electricity use:

1. Reduce phantom loads, aka vampire loads, which is the electricity a device uses even when turned off. Phantom loads can be eliminated by unplugging devices from the wall, but might be more conveniently mitigated by using a smart power strip. Cost: $

2. Switch from a conventional electric clothes dryer to a heat pump clothes dryer. Cost: $$

3. Lower the set temperature on your water heater.  Cost: 0$

4. If you haven’t already, switch to LED bulbs, which use 10% of the electricity of an incandescent bulb. GELD has a wide selection of LED bulbs available for purchase at a significant discount. Cost: $

5. Use timers and motion sensors for indoor and outdoor lighting. Cost: $

6. Machine wash your clothes in cold water. Cost: 0$

7. Use energy efficient window coverings, such as honeycomb, or cellular shades which can reduce heat gain during summer peak hours and reduce heat loss in the winter.  Cost: $$

8. Weatherization of your home will reduce heat loss/gain to maintain comfort during peak hours if you are pre-cooling or pre-heating as suggested above. Visit our Take Action on weatherization for more information and what incentives are available. Cost: $$

9. When buying new electronic products, look for the ENERGY STAR label, which indicates federal certification of energy efficiency. ENERGY STAR products have been designed to waste less energy in standby mode. Visit our Take Action page on energy efficient appliances to learn more. Cost: $-$$

10. When time to replace your central A/C or window A/C units, consider heat pumps instead. Visit our Take Action on heat pumps for more information and what incentives are available. Cost: $$$

11. If you are currently using a conventional electric cooking range, an induction stove can offer some electricity savings; induction cooktops are up to 10% more efficient than their conventional electric counterparts. Visit our Take Action page on induction cooking and what incentives are available for making that switch. Coming in the future: Induction stoves with integrated battery can further offset the amount of electricity needed for cooking during peak hours. Cost $$$