Ready to start saving energy and money today? Most of these actions can be done by homeowners or renters and many are free.
Reduce Everyday Energy Use
- Hot Water Temperature. Reduce the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees. (Use a calibrated thermometer to measure the temperature of your tap water at the hottest setting.) Water temperatures hotter than 120 degrees increase the risk of scalding and waste energy.
- Thermostatic Shutoff Valve. If it takes several minutes for hot water to reach your shower, install a thermostatic shower shutoff valve. It will turn the water off as soon as it gets hot, so you won’t waste hot water even if you walk away.
- Low Flow Showerheads. Use low-flow showerheads and take brief showers. You can measure the gallons per minute (GPM) of your existing showerhead using a bucket and timer. (Example: If it takes 24 seconds to fill to the 1-gallon mark, the showerhead uses 1 gallon/0.4 minutes = 2.5 GPM.) Look for the WaterSense label to find a showerhead that uses less than 2.0 GPM.
- Laundry and Dishes. Wash clothes in cold water. Consider drying clothes on a line or hanger. Run only full loads in your clothes washer and dishwasher.
- Power Strips. Use power strips to shut down electronics and appliances completely. Big screen TVs, cable boxes, DVRs and video game consoles can be big energy wasters in standby mode.
- Lighting. Replace incandescent light bulbs, most of which waste 90% of their energy through heat, with CFLs, LEDs or other high-efficiency lighting. Turn off lights when not in use and/or install occupancy sensors.
- ENERGY STAR. When you buy new appliances, look for the ENERGY STAR label.
- Extra Refrigerators. Get rid of your second refrigerator, especially if it’s more than 20 years old. It might be costing you hundreds of dollars per year to keep just a few items cool. Some utilities will pay you to pick up your old fridge.
- Refrigerator Temperature. Set your refrigerator temperature to 37 degrees F and your freezer to 5 degrees F. (Use a calibrated thermometer to test the temperature.) Colder settings waste energy.
- Pool Pumps. Replace your single-speed pool pump with a variable-speed pool pump. Try reducing the time your pump runs by an hour or two per day and see if it noticeably affects water quality.
Reduce Seasonal Energy Use
- Thermostat Settings. Set your programmable thermostat to 65 degrees (or lower) in the winter and 78 degrees (or higher) in the summer.
- Filters. Clean or replace your filters every month or two (when in use).
- Go Natural. Use natural breezes (ventilation) and sunlight when possible. Close drapes during the day to keep unwanted solar heat out.
- Demand Response. Participate in your utility’s demand response program (if available). You may be able to get a discount on your bill for agreeing to use less electricity on particularly hot days. Quick links:
- SDG&E | SoCal Edison | PG&E
- Others – contact your local utility
Get Informed, Get Involved
- Use a Wattmeter. Use a wattmeter to see how much power individual appliances use. You can buy one for around $20. Be sure to test your appliances in both “on” and “standby” (or “off”) modes to detect “phantom” power use.
- Monitor Your Energy Use. Sign onto your utility’s online account to view your energy use over the last year. If you have a smart meter, you can see how much electricity you use on an hourly or daily basis.
- Attend an Event. Attend one of CSE’s free educational events to learn about home energy upgrades.
- Make a Commitment. Ask each member of your household to commit to one new energy-saving action today.
- Place everyone’s commitments in easy-to-see places near the locations of their actions.
- For example, your child might write, “I will turn off the lights when I leave the room” and tape this reminder near the light switch in his or her room. You might write “I will check my energy use on a weekly basis” and place this note near your computer.
- People are more likely to follow through with an action if they make a written commitment and see reminders. Leave the reminders up for a few weeks until your energy-saving actions become second nature.