Duke Energy highlights five key appliances to help customers reduce energy use

While summer is officially just a week old, this week Hoosiers are already dealing with very high temperatures.

To help customers manage their energy use – and bills – during this heat, Duke Energy offers 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

1. Air conditioners: Set the thermostat to the highest comfortable temperature and raise it a few more degrees when leaving home for the day.
2. 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.
3. Refrigerators and freezers: Set the refrigerator temperature between 35 and 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, and it should stay in place. If it falls, replace the worn seal.
4. Washing machines: Run full loads of laundry in the washing machine and use cold water whenever possible.
5. 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.