Lower the thermostat: Lower your thermostat 7°–10°F for 8 hours a day to save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling. In winter, keep it around 68°F when awake and lower when asleep or away.

Use a smart thermostat: It makes the process of adjusting the temperature easier!

Upgrade electric heat: Switching to a heat pump can cut electricity use by up to 75%.

Maintain your furnace: Clean or replace filters regularly and get annual check-ups to save money.

Switch to LED lighting: LEDs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs. During the colder months, when there’s less sunlight, your lights stay on longer, making the switch even more valuable!

Check out more tips on Energy Saving Tips page.

Avoid the fast-cooling myth: Setting your thermostat lower than normal when you turn on your air conditioner won’t cool your home faster and may lead to excessive cooling and unnecessary expense.

Be a fan of fans: Raising your thermostat by 2°F and using ceiling fans to create a breeze can save up to 14% on energy use. Remember to turn off fans when leaving a room; they cool people, not spaces.

Smart thermostat tips: Turn your air conditioner up 7°–10°F for 8 hours a day to save up to 10% a year on heating and cooling when you’re away or asleep. Installing a smart thermostat makes the process much easier.


Make an upgrade: If your central air system is more than 12 years old, replace it with an ENERGY STAR® certified model. You could lower cooling costs by as much as 30%.

Block sunlight: Close curtains during the day to block the light.

Check out more tips on Energy Saving Tips page.

Lighting: Turn off lights whenever you leave a room or don't need them.

Dishwasher: Always load the dishwasher to its full capacity. Choose the most energy-efficient drying option—heat dry is usually the least economical. For extra savings, skip the drying cycle and let dishes dry naturally. Turn off the drying cycle, open the dishwasher, and let the contents dry naturally.

Refrigerator: Keep your refrigerator temperature setting just low enough to chill milk (38-40 degrees F) and the freezer low enough to keep ice cream hard (around 5 degrees F). Did you know, every time you open your refrigerator, approximately 30% of the cold air escapes?

Oven: Instead of opening your oven door to check your cooking, look through the window.

Small Appliances: Use advanced power strips to eliminate any ‘standby’ power that many devices consume even when turned off.
 

Hot Water: Set your water heater at 120 degrees F (Many are preset at 140 degrees F).

Check out more tips on Energy Saving Tips page.

Efficiency Maine: Efficiency Maine is the independent administrator for energy efficiency programs. They offer energy and money savings tips as well as a variety of rebates on products that can help you reduce your usage.

SimplePay: With SimplePay, your energy costs will be spread evenly over 12 months so you know how much your bill will be every month, eliminating seasonal fluctuations.