Mar 29, 2022 | Energy Efficiency
Earth Day is a great opportunity to take small, easy steps to make your home more energy efficient so you can save money year-round.
Plus, by becoming more energy efficient, you can make a real impact on the world. Efficiency is good for the planet. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions, decreases water use, and helps create a healthy environment for us all.*
Here are ten easy tips to help you spring into action today.
- Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade on the sunniest sides of your home.
- Allow hot foods to cool before putting them in the refrigerator – storing hot food makes your fridge work harder to cool it down.
- With the weather warming up, consider cooking a few meals outside to reduce the amount of heat inside your home.
- Use light-colored window coverings to help reflect heat away from entering your home.
- Use motion sensors for your outdoor lights. That way, they’ll only use energy when they’re on.
- Install LED light bulbs in your most frequently used lights – kitchens and bathrooms are a great place to start.
- Combine printers, computers, monitors, TVs, game consoles and other electronics on easily accessible smart power strips that can be switched off when not in use.
- Add weather stripping to drafty doors and windows.
- Combine fans with air conditioning – a fan can allow you to raise the thermostat setting and still stay comfortable.
- Wash and rinse laundry with cold water whenever possible.
For more tips — and to check out our full offering of energy efficiency rebates and programs — visit savewithppl.com.
Mar 22, 2022 | Energy Efficiency
Spring cleaning isn’t just the perfect time to tidy up, get organized and get ready for summer. It’s also a great way to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Yes, really! Cleaning and organizing can positively impact the performance of electronics and appliances of all kinds—and that can have a real effect on your energy bills. Let’s look at ways to clean up devices throughout the house.
Electronics
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- Use smart power strips to reduce “vampire power” loads. Vampire power is energy drained from the wall by your appliances even when they are in sleep mode or turned off. A “smart strip” can automatically cut power to devices you’re not using. Choose the best smart power strip for you with this handy chart from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
- Plug groups of electronics that you use at the same time—like your TV and gaming console—into the same smart strip. You can pick a strip that turns off automatically at a certain time or one that turns off everything when you power down a key appliance.
- Refrigerator
- Check the door seal. Sticky foods can prevent the fridge door from sealing. Wipe it clean with warm soapy water.
- Clean your condenser coil. Dust can collect on the coil, making it work harder and longer—while raising your energy bill. You can clean it yourself with an inexpensive coil cleaning brush, or hire someone to do it for you.
- HVAC system
- Your heating and cooling system uses more energy than anything else in your home. Routine maintenance, like replacing or cleaning air filters, can lower your cooling system’s energy consumption by up to 15%. And spring is the perfect season to call your HVAC professional for a yearly inspection and cleaning.
As always, stay safe and follow all appliance and electronics instruction manuals. If you’re unsure about how to best clean an appliance, don’t be afraid to call a professional. They can get the job done right and maybe even give you a few pointers for next time.
Happy spring cleaning!
Nov 8, 2021 | Energy Efficiency
Start your savings with the flip of a switch and read on for where you might find ways to save energy in your home office, kitchen, and every room in between.
Your Morning Bathroom Routine Could Be Adding to Your Electricity Costs
Did you know the bathroom vanity is one of the highest-use fixtures in the average home? By replacing your home’s top-five most frequently used light fixtures with ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs, you could save as much as $70 each year in energy costs. Get started and take the pledge today.
See How Much Wasted Energy Is Lurking in Your Home Office
Most home office equipment is left on 24 hours a day. Equipment that is automatically set to sleep mode not only uses less energy, but it also runs cooler and lasts longer. In addition, you can save even more energy in your office with these small hacks:
- When your monitor is inactive, switch to sleep mode or turn it off to avoid screensavers.
- Turn off fax machines, printers, scanners, and copiers when not in use.
- Switch off power cords on weekends or any time spent out of the office.
Check Attics and Basements for Air Leaks and Get a $200 Rebate on Air Sealing
With windows throughout your home, start by monitoring rooms for air leaks. A quick way to get started is to caulk and weather-strip around windows and doors that leak air. It’s also a good idea to replace your screens with storm windows to provide an extra barrier from the outside air. Other common trouble spots for air leaks are in the basement, attic, and plumbing vents. Here’s a guide to get you started. You might also consider talking to a professional who can help you take advantage of our rebate for up to $200 on air sealing services.
Enjoy a Rebate on Your Refrigerator
Fun fact: Refrigerators made before 1993 use twice the energy that newer models do. An ENERGY STAR certified refrigerator, however, uses less energy than a 60-watt lightbulb run continuously does and uses at least 20% less energy than required by current federal standards. If you have an older fridge, you can prevent 5,500 to 20,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions just by unplugging and recycling it properly—and you can also get a $50 rebate from us.
Oct 14, 2021 | Energy Efficiency
It’s spooky season, and it’s time to slay those energy vampires — the electronic gadgets, appliances, and other devices that draw energy when they’re plugged in but not in use.
Here are four tips to keep these monsters at bay.
In the home office
- After you sign off, your home office laptops and PCs are still on the job. Shut them – along with your printers, scanners, and other equipment – down and save.
In the family room
- Popular gaming systems use energy, even when they’re in standby mode. Next time you put down the controller, shut the system down.
In the kitchen
- If you’re not using an appliance, make sure it’s turned off. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, this simple act can save you between $10 and $20 per year in energy costs.
Everywhere you charge
- Your phone, laptop and tablet are using energy whenever they’re plugged in, even if they’re fully charged. Once the meter hits 100 percent, unplug your device to save.
Sep 30, 2021 | Energy Efficiency
Since 2009, our customers have saved 4,026,933,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. To put that into perspective, that’s the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of:
- Removing 620,000+ passenger vehicles from the road for an entire year
- Charging 347,145,834,418 smartphones
- Operating 594 wind turbines for a year
- 970,686 tons of waste recycled instead of landfilled
- 343,666 homes’ energy use in a year
The Difference Customers Like You Have Made
For the past 12 years, our customers have cut electricity usage by over 4 billion kWh by participating in our energy efficiency programs—that’s savings of more than $403 million in energy costs. Wow! Check out these big stats worth celebrating:
- 24,000,000+ energy-efficient light bulbs were purchased
- 143,000+ appliances were properly recycled
- 71,000+ energy-efficient devices and appliances were installed in local businesses
Energy Efficiency Means Peace of Mind
Taking the time to make the right decisions about your home’s appliances, air quality, and heating and cooling systems goes a long way. When your home is more energy efficient, it means you’re in control of your costs and your comfort. Whether you’re upgrading to ENERGY STAR® certified appliances or being mindful of your day-to-day acts, like shutting off lights, it all adds up—benefiting your family’s comfort, your savings, and the planet.
Celebrate With an Energy-Efficient Rebate
When it comes to major home endeavors like insulation or upgrades to heating and cooling systems, you can save hundreds with our rebates and incentives. In addition, Pennsylvania offers residents financial incentives and tax credits on upgrading your home’s energy efficiency.
For more tips to help you save energy, visit savewithppl.com.
