Small Settings That Make a Huge Difference on Your Electricity Bill

Most energy-saving advice involves changing your habits, like turning things off, unplugging devices and being more mindful overall. But there’s a whole category of savings that doesn’t require any ongoing effort: settings you adjust once and let them work their magic. Apart from the thermostat, there are many items in your home that have various settings that can unlock significant savings on your power bill. Just a few minutes of tapping through menus and turning dials can make a big difference in terms of your home’s energy consumption.

Water Heater Settings

The default setting for most water heaters is 140°F, but 120°F is the recommended temperature, as it’s plenty hot for everyday use, protects against scalding and helps you save energy. That 20 degrees is the difference between a water heater that’s working harder than it needs to and one that easily provides the perfect water temperature without draining excess power. It’s one of the simplest adjustments you can make, yet has one of the biggest impacts.

Fridge and Freezer Temperatures

Most people never touch the setting on their fridge or freezer. They often just leave it on whatever the default setting is. To save energy and keep your food fresh, your fridge should stay below 40°F, with the sweet spot sitting between 37-40°F. Your freezer should be kept at 0°F. Anything colder than that uses more energy without any real benefit.

Electronic Device’s Power Settings

You may not realize it, but most of the devices in your home have settings that can save energy. For example, most people use their screens at full brightness and never touch the sleep, power or display settings. TVs often have default bright or vivid display settings that are far brighter and more energy-hungry than the dimmer ones. Computers and laptops have sleep timers that most people never realized they had. And gaming consoles have low-power, sleep modes and eco-modes buried in their settings. A few minutes flicking through these settings can mean huge energy savings.

Dishwasher, Washing Machine and Dryer Heat Settings

Your dishwasher’s heated dry setting, while a convenient time-saver, uses a surprising amount of electricity, when air drying or drying by hand works just fine and is far more energy efficient. When washing your clothes, avoid using the hottest water temperatures, as warm or cold water works just as effectively for most laundry loads. Apply the same concept to your dryer by using low-heat or air-only settings.

Ceiling Fan Settings

Many people forget about the fan that’s continuously spinning on their ceiling, and they usually don’t know that they can actually help them save energy. Ceiling fans have a little switch, usually on the side and above the fan blades, that many people don’t know how to use correctly. Flipping the switch up spins the blades clockwise, which is better during the winter because it draws the cool air up and pushes down the warm air that’s trapped toward the ceiling. Flipping the switch down spins the blades counterclockwise, which is the ideal setting during the summer because it pushes air straight down, creating a wind-chill effect. Don’t forget that your ceiling fan also has intensity settings! Make sure not to run the fans on medium or high when it’s not necessary, as this requires more electricity.

Along with the quick and easy setting adjustments you can make around the home comes switching to prepaid power for easier budgeting and control. With prepaid power from Pronto Power, a trusted Texas electric company, you can track your usage in real time, offering visibility into how these setting adjustments directly affect your consumption. Get started with Pronto Power today by calling (844) 621-2852 or contacting us online!