ComEd offers these tips to reduce energy consumption:
Change your thermostat settings. 78°F is the perfect thermostat setting for saving money this summer and 68°F is ideal for your home in winter. For additional savings, raise or lower the temperature setting by 7-10°F when leaving your home unoccupied for eight hours or more depending on the season.
Switch your ceiling fan's direction. Ceiling fans should run clockwise in the winter and counterclockwise in the summer. Switching the direction of your fan each season will help keep you cool in the summer and reduce A/C costs, while better circulating warm air in the winter.
Turn off your computer at night. This could save you up to 13% in energy costs, depending on your use and power management settings. Save even more by plugging your computer, monitor and printer into one power strip and turning the strip off when you go to bed.
Unplug electronics when they're not in use. Many electronic devices continue to draw power even when they are turned off. By unplugging idle devices and chargers, you won't pay for this extra energy.
Set your computer to "sleep mode" when not in use. Running your computer and monitor constantly wastes a significant amount of electricity. However, a computer idling in "sleep" mode uses less than half the energy of an active computer.
Spotlight your work spaces. Overhead bulbs can brighten a space, but often use more light than you need. Using a kitchen counter light while preparing dinner — or a small lamp to read a book — better illuminates the task while saving energy.
Turn off lights when you leave the room. In an average home, lighting accounts for nearly 9% of electricity costs. Turning lights off when you're not in the room can make a dent in your utility bill.
Set your refrigerator's temperature to 38°F. In most households, the refrigerator is the one thing that is always on, and it consumes the most energy of all kitchen appliances. Make sure your refrigerator is not too cold to minimize the annual operational costs.
Run full dishwasher loads. Your dishwasher uses a great deal of energy, especially for heating water. There are several steps you can take starting today—with no investment—to reduce your bills associated with dishwashing. Visit smarterhouse.org/dishwashing/energy-saving-tips for a list of energy saving tips for dishwasher use.
Clear area around heating and cooling vents. Furniture, carpets, and other objects can block vents and prevent heated or cooled air from traveling. This blockage makes your heating or cooling system work harder and prevents rooms from warming up or cooling down quickly.
