Energy
Saving Tips
 
Appliances
Energy Saving Tips
Appliances

Appliances require a great deal of energy and can quickly rack up your energy bill. Luckily, you can cut down on the amount of energy your appliances use just by making a few changes. Although some tips to reduce energy usage include replacing old appliances with newer models, other, more cost-effective ways to cut back on energy usage won't break your budget — they simply require more dedication. Overall, it will be worth the extra couple steps to know you are doing your part to live a more energy-efficient life and save money. These tips for your appliances and our other tips to lower electric bills can make a difference.

Washer & dryers

Washer & dryers

Being smarter about washer and dryer routines is an easy way to live life more energy efficiently. Apply a few of these tips to your laundry routine.

  • When washing clothes, run larger loads instead of several smaller loads to reduce energy usage.
  • Opt for cold water when washing clothes as most of the electricity used comes from heating the water.
  • Run two or more loads of laundry in the dryer back-to-back to get the most out of the heat buildup.
  • Take advantage of the dryer's moisture sensor, which ends the cycle once your clothes are dry.
  • Clean the lint tray after every dryer load to cut down on how hard your dryer must work.
Washer & dryers

Being smarter about washer and dryer routines is an easy way to live life more energy efficiently. Apply a few of these tips to your laundry routine.

  • When washing clothes, run larger loads instead of several smaller loads to reduce energy usage.
  • Opt for cold water when washing clothes as most of the electricity used comes from heating the water.
  • Run two or more loads of laundry in the dryer back-to-back to get the most out of the heat buildup.
  • Take advantage of the dryer's moisture sensor, which ends the cycle once your clothes are dry.
  • Clean the lint tray after every dryer load to cut down on how hard your dryer must work.
Washer & dryers

Refrigerators & freezers

Refrigerators & freezers

Check out these tips to get the most out of your refrigerator and freezer.

Refrigerators & freezers
  • Replace old refrigerators with newer ones because newer models generally consume less energy. Look for the ENERGY STAR® logo when purchasing a new refrigerator.1
  • Cover all liquids in the refrigerator as moisture inside can require the unit to use more electricity.
  • Avoid storing your freezer in the garage as high temperatures make the unit work harder.
  • Replace old refrigerators with newer ones because newer models generally consume less energy. Look for the ENERGY STAR® logo when purchasing a new refrigerator.1
  • Cover all liquids in the refrigerator as moisture inside can require the unit to use more electricity.
  • Avoid storing your freezer in the garage as high temperatures make the unit work harder.
Refrigerators & freezers

Ovens & stoves

Ovens & stoves

Ovens and stoves can require a good amount of electricity to heat up food. Follow these tips to reduce electricity required when cooking.

  • Use the right size pot on burners and secure your pans with tight-fitting lids to contain heat.
  • Microwave to reheat food instead of using the oven to reduce energy required.
  • Grill outdoors in the summer. Cooking indoors raises the heat, requiring the AC to use more electricity.
Ovens & stoves
Ovens & stoves

Dishwashers

Dishwashers

Dishwashers require electricity to heat up water and dry loads of dishes. You can make changes to your typical dish washing routine to cut back on how much water and heat you use by applying these simple tips.

Dishwashers
  • Wait until the dishwasher is full before running the load.
  • Avoid using the heat-dry option, which increases the electricity usage.
  • If you're going to run the dishwasher soon, scrape your dishes after you eat rather than rinsing them. Rinsing them uses lots of water and energy. However, if it will be a while before the dishwasher is run, rinse the dishes to prevent food remnants from drying and sticking to your dishes.
  • Wait until the dishwasher is full before running the load.
  • Avoid using the heat-dry option, which increases the electricity usage.
  • If you're going to run the dishwasher soon, scrape your dishes after you eat rather than rinsing them. Rinsing them uses lots of water and energy. However, if it will be a while before the dishwasher is run, rinse the dishes to prevent food remnants from drying and sticking to your dishes.
Dishwashers

Water heaters

Water heaters

Water heating accounts for about 18% of your home's energy use.2 If not managed and maintained well, water heaters can use an excessive amount of energy. Take these steps to increase the efficiency of your water heater.

  • Purchase an energy-efficient water heater to save energy in the long-term.
  • Upon installation, your water heater is typically set at a higher temperature than necessary. Turning down the temperature of your water heater allows it to consume less energy.3
  • Install low-flow fixtures to use less water per minute.
Water heaters
Water heaters

Tips to lower your bill


Although some tips to reduce energy usage include replacing old appliances with newer models, other, more cost-effective ways to cut back on energy usage won't break your budget – they simply require more dedication. Overall, it will be worth the extra couple steps to know you are doing your part to live a more energy-efficient life and save money. These tips for your appliances and our other tips to lower electricity bills can make a difference.

1ENERGY STAR https://www.energystar.gov/products/appliances/refrigerators

2U.S. Department of Energy https://energy.gov/energysaver/water-heating

3U.S. Department of Energy https://energy.gov/energysaver/projects/savings-project-lower-water-heating-temperature