Tips from FPL for 1/10 National Cut You Energy Cost Day
This National Cut Your Energy Costs Day (January 10), Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) Energy Expert Brad Goar shares simple tips customers can implement at home to lower their energy usage and save on their monthly energy bill.
1. What is the largest driver of energy bills and what tips can you share to manage this appliance?
The air conditioner is the largest driver of energy bills, and now is a good time to do maintenance on your unit. Have your unit cleaned, coils checked, and change your filter monthly. If the temperature outside drops below your thermostat’s regular setting and the humidity is at a comfortable level, you can open your windows to let some fresh, cool air inside. However, remember to close the windows once the temperatures go back up, or else your AC will have to work harder than necessary.
2. What other appliances are the largest drivers of energy usage? Please provide examples/details.
Another major driver of your energy bill is your water heater. Set your water heater to 120° for energy savings without compromising hot water availability. Another great tip for the water heater is to turn it off at the circuit breaker if you plan to go on vacation. There’s no need to heat water if you won’t be home.
The washing machine is another high energy consumer in the home. Use the cold water setting when doing laundry to save energy as a load using cold water costs $0.10 and a load using hot water costs almost one dollar. Washing in cold water also helps keep your clothes from shrinking or fading. When it’s time to dry the clothes, clean the dryer’s lint filter before every load to ensure it dries efficiently.
3. What tools are available to help customers manage their energy use?
Customers have access to the free FPL Energy Manager tool which shows you the where, when, and how of your home’s energy usage. Plus, the House of Savings Winter Edition presents eight new, easy-to-implement tips to assist customers in minimizing energy usage during the colder months. For each completed play, FPL will donate $2 to Care To Share, which helps Floridians facing temporary financial difficulties with emergency bill payment assistance.
4. What other small, no-cost changes can be implemented to save energy and money?
• To cook meals, use smaller appliances such as air fryers or toaster ovens. If using the stove, lower the heat on your stovetop after food reaches a boil.
• Turn off any lights that are not being used or when you leave the room.
• Reduce your pool pump’s run time by two hours a day to save more than $8 a month.
To find more energy-savings tips and tools to cut your energy costs, log into your FPL account or visit FPL.com/WaysToSave.
