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Energy Saving Appliance Tips
COOKING APPLIANCES
 No Cost
- Use the smallest pan necessary to do the job. Match the pan size to the element size. For example, a 6" pan on an 8" burner can waste over 40% of the heat produced by the burner.
- Don't preheat your oven. And try to avoid “peeking” by opening the oven door. Each “peek” can lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees.
- Cook complete meals of several dishes simultaneously in the oven.
- If you have a microwave oven, use it for reheating and cooking small quantities of food.
REFRIGERATORS & FREEZERS
No Cost
- Reduce your annual energy bill by as much as $160 by unplugging and properly disposing of your extra refrigerator or freezer.
- Open refrigerator / freezer doors only when necessary.
Efficiency MaineEnergy Saving Tips
Running fridges and freezers costs more than $20 a month
- 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 38-40 degree F, and the freezer 0 to 5 degrees.
- Keep the freezer full of something, such as loaves of bread or milk jugs filled with water, to keep the cold air inside the freezer even when the door is open.
- Keep the fridge clean – extra containers require a refrigerator to work harder.
CLOTHES WASHERS & DRYERS
 No Cost
- 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.
DISHWASHERS
No Cost
- 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 home. Standard capacity models hold more than 8 place settings and 6 serving pieces. Compact capacity models hold 8 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.
WATER HEATERS
No Cost
- Set your water heater thermostat at the lowest temperature that provides you with sufficient hot water, but not lower than 120° F. For most households, 120° F water is fine. 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. The blanket could save you up to 10% on water heating costs.
- Use exhaust fans sparingly in your bathroom. In just one hour, they can remove a houseful of warmed or cooled air.
GENERAL APPLIANCE TIPS
Good Investment
Select products with the ENERGY STAR® label when buying new appliances for your home. Savings: 5-25 percent of operating costs.
Please note that the savings referenced are for a typical household. In addition, the savings percentages apply only to the category of energy use. For example, using fluorescent lamps saves 30 to 38 percent of your lighting bill, not your total electric bill. The figures cannot be added to find your total savings.
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