Energy Saving Appliance Tips

Cooking Appliances

Use the smallest burner necessary to do the job. Match your pan size to the burner size. For example, a 6" pan on an 8" burner can waste over 40% of the heat produced by the burner.
While cooking, avoid “peeking” by opening the oven door. Each “peek” can lower the oven temperature.
Cook several dishes simultaneously in the oven.
Consider using a microwave instead of a conventional oven whenever possible.

Reduce your annual energy bill by as much as $100 by unplugging and properly disposing of your unneeded refrigerators or freezers.
Open refrigerator/freezer doors only when necessary.
Keep refrigerator coils (on the back or the bottom of the appliance) clean.
Make sure the seals on your refrigerator, freezer and oven doors fit tightly. Easily perform this test by leaving a lit flashlight inside a closed appliance and if you see light around the gasket, replace the gasket.
Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are not running too cold. The temperature in your refrigerator should be at 35-38 degrees Fahrenheit, and the freezer at 0 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use lower temperature settings on your washing machine, preferably the cold water cycle, and only use cold for rinses. The temperature of the rinse water does not affect cleaning.
Load the washing machine to capacity. Washing one large load will take less energy than washing two loads on a low or medium setting. When you don't have a full load, match the water level to the size of the load.
Dry full loads when possible, but be careful not to overfill the dryer, because air needs to circulate around the clothes.
Don't over-dry clothes that you are going to iron. Take clothes out of the dryer while they are still slightly damp to reduce the need for ironing—another big energy user.
If you have room, you can also hang your clothes out to dry.
Clean the dryer filter after each use. A clogged filter will restrict airflow and reduce dryer performance.

Operate your dishwasher at full capacity. And if the manufacturer's instructions permit, open the door of the dishwasher at the end of the last rinse cycle, rather than using the drying cycle.
Choose a dishwasher with several wash cycle selections. If your dishes are only slightly dirty, you can use the light or energy-saving wash cycle, it uses less water and runs for a shorter period of time.
Choose the right size for your needs. Standard capacity models hold more than eight place settings and six serving pieces. Compact capacity models hold eight place settings and six serving pieces or less. If you have to operate a compact model more frequently, you may actually use more energy than you would with a standard model over time.

Set your water heater thermostat at the lowest temperature that provides you with sufficient hot water. If you use a lot of hot water, you may need to set the temperature higher to provide enough hot water for your needs.
Wrap your water heater with a water heater blanket, especially if it's in an unheated area of your home.

Borrow an electricity monitor from your local library to determine which appliances in your home may be wasting energy. Click here to learn more.

Select products with the ENERGY STAR^® label when buying new appliances for your home. You could save 5-25% in operating costs.