Simple Home Energy Tips:

Cold wash cycles use up to 90% less energy than hot and warm wash cycles. Washing in cold water helps prevent fabric shrinkage and keep the colors of your clothes brighter for longer. Energy bill savings: on average $250* a year.

*The average household does 7 loads of laundry a week. A load in hot water uses 4.5 kWh, while a load in cold water uses 0.3 kWh.

The simple choice to change out your old light bulbs for modern LED light bulbs saves money and reduces energy consumption. LED bulbs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer. Turning off lights when you leave the room is a great way to save even more energy. Energy bill savings: $8* a year for each bulb.

*An incandescent light bulb used on average for 2 hours a day uses 44 kWh/year.

Incredibly, cleaning the lint filter in your dryer after every load reduces energy consumption by a massive 30%. It also reduces wear and tear on your dryer, helping your machine last longer – and helps prevent fire hazards. Adding wool dryer balls to your dryer helps reduce drying times, saving even more energy and money. Energy bill savings: up to $50* a year.

*The average household does 7 loads of laundry a week. The energy usage of clothes dryer’s varies by machine, but we assume an average of 3 kWh of electricity per load.

In many households, the dryer is the third most energy intensive appliance after the refrigerator and washer. Eliminating its use entirely and air-drying clothes can reduce your household’s energy use by up to 12% and help extend the life of your clothes at the same time. Energy bill savings: up to $200* a year.

*The average household does 7 loads of laundry a week. The energy usage of clothes dryer’s varies by machine, but we assume an average of 3 kWh of electricity per a load.

Electricity used by appliances when not in use – and even turned off, but plugged in – accounts for a whopping 5 – 10% of a household’s energy use. Unplugging these appliances when they aren’t in use is a great way to save energy without making any changes to your home. You can also plug devices into a smart power strip which detects when a device is in standby mode and can cut power off. Energy bill savings: up to $200* a year.

*According to the U.S. Department of Energy, standby power (electric power consumed by products when they are switched off, but still plugged in) accounts for 5 to 10% of residential energy use.

Lowering the temperature of your water heater and making sure it’s properly insulated can reduce the energy consumption in your home by up to 22%. Lowering the temperature on your water heater can also slow mineral buildup and corrosion in your pipes, and protect your household from scalding water. Energy bill savings: up to $400* a year.

*According to the U.S. Department of Energy, lowering the temperature of your water heater from 140ºF to 120ºF can save your household 4% to 22% annually on energy costs.

Replacing old shower heads with efficient options can reduce energy usage by up to 25% and additional savings come from reductions in water usage. These more efficient shower heads are often called “low-flow” or have a “WaterSense” label. Energy bill savings: up to $60* a year.

*According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average household could save 330 kWh of electricity annually by switching to efficient shower heads. Additionally savings come from the reduction in water usage.

Not heat-drying your dishes can reduce energy consumption by up to 15%. You can also conserve water by scraping dishes instead of rinsing them, and only running your dishwasher with a full load. If your dishwasher has an “eco” setting, that is another great way to save energy and water. Energy bill savings: on average $10* a year.

*The average dishwasher consumes between 1.2kWh and 1.5kWh per load. We assume the average household runs 5 dishwasher cycles per a week.

Caulk, seal, or weatherstrip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside to stop air leaks and save 10 – 20% on your heating and cooling bills. Additionally, you can remove or tightly enclose window A/C units during winter to prevent heated air from escaping outside. Energy bill savings: on average $275* a year.

*According to the U.S. Department of Energy, caulk, seal and weather strip any air leaks and cracks, especially around windows and doors, to save your household 10% to 20% annually on energy costs.

Well fitting window shades and films can reduce heat loss in the winter and keep your house cool in the summer, reducing energy consumption by about 10%. Open your shades when it’s sunny in the winter to warm your home with the sun’s energy. Energy bill savings: up to $175* a year.

*According to the U.S Department of Energy, in winter, tightly installed shades can reduce heat loss through windows by 40% or more – about 10% heating energy savings. In summer, shades can reduce unwanted solar heat through windows by up to 60% – up to 20% cooling energy savings.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average Pennsylvania family consumes about 10,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually and spends more than $2,000 per year on energy bills.

Annual savings calculations were based on the average 10,248 kWh per household of total energy consumption from the U.S. Energy Information Administration and the average residential electricity rates in Pennsylvania of $0.18 per kWh.