Reduce Your Electricity Bills With These No- and Low-Cost Tips

Home Hacks

Because saving money shouldn’t cost a pretty penny.

Not Using It? Unplug It.

  • Unplugging underused appliances in your home can lead to big savings in your electricity usage.
  • Chargers for mobile phones still use electricity even when the phone is unplugged.
  • Your home entertainment electronics pull a great deal of electricity if they remain on. Plug TVs, stereos and DVD players into a smart power strip and let it power your devices on and off automatically.

Use Your Computer’s Energy-Saving Features

  • If you have an ENERGY STAR® qualified computer, enable its shut-down features.
  • The “sleep” mode reduces electricity usage by up to 70% during inactive periods.
  • The “hibernate” mode shuts the computer down after a specified time, allowing you to restart using less electricity.
  • Shut off the computer if you’re going to be away more than two hours.

Control the Temperature

  • In the winter, try setting your thermostat to 68 degrees when you’re at home and lowering the temperature at night or when you’re away.
  • In the summer, set the thermostat to a minimum 78 degrees; circulate cool air using box fans and ceiling fans.
  • Open shades in the winter to let sunlight in. Close them in the summer to keep your home cooler.

Use Appliances Wisely

  • Set your water heater to between 120 and 130 degrees.
  • Wash full loads of laundry in cold water.
  • Clean your dryer’s lint filter after each use.
  • When possible, dry clothes on a clothesline outside.
  • Wash full loads of dishes in the dishwasher; use shorter wash/rinse cycles; dry with the air-dry setting.

Turn Off the Lights

  • Turn off the lights when you leave a room at home and in the office.
  • Incandescent bulbs are inefficient, so turn them off when you don’t need them.
  • Turn off fluorescent lights if you’re going to be gone 15 minutes or more.

Weatherize Those Nasty Leaks

  • Caulk, weather-strip and insulate your windows and doors wherever you find air leaks.

Replace Incandescent Bulbs With LED Bulbs

  • LED bulbs cost less than other light bulbs in yearly energy costs and last longer.

Conserve Water Heat

  • Wrap your water heater with a water heater blanket.

Change Your Heating and Cooling Filters

  • Replace filters on your air conditioner. Clean filters can lower the air conditioner’s energy consumption 5-15%.
  • Replace furnace filters monthly or as needed.

Install Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures

  • Install low-flow showerheads; investing $10 on a low-flow showerhead can yield hot water savings of 25-60%.
  • Install faucet aerators (the screw-on portion of the faucet) that have a flow rate of no more than 1 gallon per minute.

Use Energy-Efficient Electronics

  • Electronics with the ENERGY STAR service mark use less energy than the federal government requires. Look for the blue star logo when buying new electronics to help reduce power usage.

Get started by understanding how your home uses energy. Explore PSO’s Energy Insights tool to track your usage, view your home energy profile, discover appliances and electronics that use the most energy, receive personalized tips, and more.