MCE is celebrating Energy Awareness Month! We use energy every day. This month, step back, think about your energy usage, and find ways to use it more responsibly.
Learn About Your Energy Usage
The top uses for home energy are space heating, air-conditioning, water heating, and lighting. However, the amount of energy you use depends on your daily habits and the type of appliances that you use.
Your PG&E account portal makes it easy to see the breakdown of your household energy use and helps you identify areas where you can conserve energy and become more energy efficient. Log in to your PG&E account and then, in the Usage, Rates & Savings section, click Home Energy Checkup. Your energy usage chart shows you when and where you’re using energy. You’ll also find your top energy costs and tips on saving
Follow Smart Energy Practices
- Replace incandescent and CFL light bulbs with LED bulbs, which use up to 70-90% less energy.
- Upgrade appliances that are 15 years old or older to energy-efficient electric models. When evaluating your choices, look for ENERGY STAR® certified models.
- Ensure that your home is properly insulated. Seal your doors, windows, and air ducts to control your home temperature.
- Unplug vampire appliances, which drain energy even when they’re not being used. Use power strips with an on/off switch to control the energy usage of multiple devices.
- Turn off the lights and any electronics that you aren’t using when you leave a room. Turn off your air-conditioner or heater when you leave home.
- Use fans instead of air-conditioning. Alternatively, run your air conditioner at a higher temperature paired with a fan to maintain the same level of comfort. Fans use only a fraction of the energy of air conditioners.
- Replace your air filters regularly. Clogged filters make your heating or cooling system work harder and waste energy.
- Switch to heat pump water and space heaters, which offer increased energy efficiency and reduced air pollution and carbon emissions. Heat pump space heaters use one-fourth of the energy of traditional heating or cooling appliances.
- Switch to electric and induction cooktops, which produce less ambient heat that requires less energy spent on air-conditioning.
