INDIANA – While summer is officially just a week old, Hoosiers are already experiencing some very high temperatures. To help customers manage their energy use – and bills – during this heat, Duke Energy is offering customers practical tips focused on the five appliances that can drive summer energy use: air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, washing machines, and dishwashers.
The big five
- Air conditioners: Set the thermostat to the highest comfortable temperature and raise it a few more degrees when leaving home for the day.
- Electric water heaters: Water heating is typically one of the biggest energy uses in a home. Most households usually only need water heaters set to 120 degrees, which can reduce standby heat loss and help save energy.
- Refrigerators and freezers: Set the refrigerator temperature to 35–38 degrees. Separate freezers should be set to 0 degrees for long-term storage. Check the manufacturer’s guidance for combined refrigerator/freezer units.
- To check the seal on the refrigerator door for cracks or deterioration and to avoid energy loss, try the dollar bill test: Close the door on a dollar bill – it should stay in place. If it falls, replace the worn seal.
- Washing machines: Run full loads of laundry in the washing machine and use cold water whenever possible.
- Dishwashers: Use the dishwasher’s “eco-mode” and/or the air-dry or overnight-dry settings (instead of the heat-dry setting) to save water and energy.
Get a progress report
Midway through each billing cycle, more than 600,000 Duke Energy Indiana customers currently receive a Usage Alert email showing how much energy they have used so far and projections of their final bill. It is a tool that helps customers avoid billing surprises and enables them to make adjustments in their usage before their bill arrives.
More resources available
Duke Energy Indiana offers several other energy efficiency tips, tools and programs as well as flexible payment options. More information can be found at duke-energy.com/SummerSolutions.
Duke Energy Indiana
Duke Energy Indiana, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 6,800 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 930,000 customers in a 23,000-square-mile service area, making it Indiana’s largest electric supplier.
