Residential

Appliance Tips

• Shop Wisely — When you need to purchase new appliances choose ENERGY STAR® qualified clothes washeres and dryers, refrigerators, cook tops, freezers, and major appliances.
• Unplug It — Turn off and unplug appliances and electronics that are not in use. Plugged in items still draw on your power supply even when turned off.
• Give It Time Off — Reserve using your washing machines and dishwashers until late evening, when temperatures are lower and there is less electricity demand.
• Line Dry It — Take advantage of the sun and heat by drying your laundry on a clothes line to keep the wash room cooler and save energy.
• Forget the Oven — Enjoy outdoor cooking or barbeque, and keep your kitchen cool during hot summer days.
• Pool Pump — Letting your pool pump run longer than 4 to 6 hours per day won't significantly improve the cleanliness of the water, but it will significantly run up your electricity bill. Try setting it between 4 and no more than 6 hours. Also, an older power-hungry single-speed model may be costing you more money. Save even more with a two-speed or variable-speed pool pump.
• Central A/C — Set your air conditioner to 78° or warmer with the thermostat fan switch on "auto." For additional savings, raise your thermostat to 82° or warmer when you're away from home. Did you know you'll get more out of your A/C by regularly cleaning or replacing your air conditioner's filter? Closing drapes and shades keeps direct sunlight from heating your home and lowers cooling costs. Or instead of relying on your air conditioner, use a portable or ceiling fan to circulate air. It uses less energy and costs less money.
• Clothes Dryer — An overloaded or under-loaded dryer can make it more expensive to dry your clothes. Dry lightweight and heavy clothes separately for more energy-efficient drying. Always clean the lint filter before every load. Remember to dry full loads without overloading, and you'll use less electricity.
• Portable Heater — A portable heater is a great way to make a small room more comfortable. Remember to turn it off when you leave the room. Choose a heater that's been certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory and that has a tip-over switch. Make sure your heater is at least three feet away from curtains, chairs, firewood, walls and anything else that can catch fire. Don't use an extension cord unless absolutely necessary. If you must use an extension cord, make sure it's marked with a power rating at least as high as your heater. Keep children and pets away from heaters.
• Plasma TV — Did you know that a 60-inch plasma TV could cost up to $130 per year if it is on 5 hours per day, at $.12 per kWh? Compare that to an old 28-inch CRT (cathode-ray tube) TV that costs about $30 per year when it is on 5 hours per day at the same price. Add on a DVD player, game console or home theater system, and the annual bill for the plasma TV can go up to $200 per year.
• Electric Stove — Foods cook faster at a lower temperature if you use pots and pans with flat bottoms and tight-fitting lids. Pans that are bigger or smaller than the heating coil waste energy. You can also save money by using microwave and toaster ovens, slow cookers and electric skillets instead of larger ovens and stoves.
• Dishwasher — You'll use less energy and water cleaning your dishes with a dishwasher than washing by hand. Run your dishwasher only when full, and use your dishwasher's automatic energy-savings cool-dry cycle. If your dishwasher doesn't have this feature, turn it off after the final rinse and let the dishes air dry. This can reduce energy usage by 40%.
• Refrigerator — Dirty coils on the back or bottom of your fridge can make it work harder than necessary. Check and clean the coils regularly, especially during the summer. Also make sure your refrigerator and freezer doors seal airtight. One way to check this is to close a dollar bill or piece of paper in the door. If it pulls out easily, your refrigerator may need a door hinge adjustment or a new gasket.
• Freezer — Frost in your freezer that's more then 1/4" thick acts as an insulator and forces your freezer to work harder and use more electricity. While auto-defrost freezers take care of themselves, they often use more energy. If you have an extra freezer that you really don't need, why spend money using it? SCE has a recycling program which will haul away your freezer for free and pay you $50.
• Evaporative Cooler — For peak efficiency, always keep a window open when you're using an evaporative cooler. TIP! Don't run an air conditioner and an evaporative cooler at the same time! You'll make your air conditioner work twice as hard to get rid of the humidity produced by the cooler. Also, clean and replace filters frequently to get the most cooling for your money.
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