LCEC – Lee County Electric Cooperative

General Energy Saving Tips

• Consider adding smart devices, which allow greater control of your energy use.
• When cooling your home, set the thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Each degree below adds 8 to 12 percent to the cooling costs.
• When heating your home, set the thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. Since heating costs three times more than cooling, consider using a space heater or electric blanket.
• While away from home for more than two hours, set the thermostat at 83 degrees Fahrenheit. If there is a pet in the home, leave thermostat at 82 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Install a smart thermostat that will automatically raise and lower the temperature at certain times of the day.
• Be sure your thermostat fan switch is set on the “auto” setting. This is more economical for temperature and humidity control.
• Do not close A/C vents or interior doors when A/C is running.
• Service your air conditioning system annually.
• Repair duct leaks using metal foil tape reinforced with mastic adhesive.
• Check the attic for areas where insulation is missing or may have been moved during repairs or cable installation.
• Check air conditioner filters monthly and change as needed.
• Keep windows and exterior doors closed when running your air conditioner or heater. Also, use caulk and weather strip around windows and doors.
• Do not locate refrigerators/freezers in a garage or other non-air conditioned space.
• Refrigerators should be maintained at 36 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit, while freezers should be maintained from 0 to 4 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Full freezers use less power. Use plastic soda bottles filled with water, or bags of ice, if necessary. Keep refrigerators full when leaving your home vacant for a long period of time.
• Test your refrigerator door gasket with a crisp dollar bill. A good gasket will hold the bill in place.
• Replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which use 75% less energy, or LED lamps (light emitting diode), which use 85% less energy with a life expectancy of 30,000 to 50,000 hours of run time.
• Turn fans off when the room is not occupied. Each continuously running fan costs approximately $7 per month on your electric bill.
• Run pool pumps for a maximum of 8 hours a day in the summer, and 6 hours per day in the winter, unless you are heating the pool.
• Install reflective window tint/film that will reflect 65 percent or better on windows facing east, west or south. LCEC also recommends installing awnings, storm shutters and planting shade trees.
• Reduce water heating costs by installing a low-flow shower head, setting the water heater temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Adding a heat pump water heater is another great option for saving energy as this transfers heat from the surrounding air to the water. More information about water heating
• Use a minimum of R-30 insulation in the ceiling/attic floor to save on heating and air conditioning costs.