Top Tips for Managing Your Consumption

Save money by conserving the amount of energy and water you consume, both at home and at work, whether you own or rent your home or office space.

Air Conditioning and Heating

Air conditioning and heating consume about half of all the electricity you use.
Set your thermostat at 78° in summer, 68° in winter.
Set your thermostat on “auto.”
Set the temperature 5° to 10° warmer when leaving home for more than one hour in summer (or 5° to 10° cooler in winter).
Change your heating and cooling system air filter every month. A dirty air filter makes your system work harder, which uses more energy.
Run ceiling or table fans in addition to air conditioning. Turn them off when you leave the room.
Close shades/blinds to keep heat out in summer.
Make sure your indoor heating/cooling vents and returns aren’t blocked.
Keep the exterior portion of your heating and cooling unit free of blockage and debris.
Seal holes in walls where pipes and wires enter and exit the home.
Put weather stripping around doors and windows to seal gaps.
Use R38 insulation in the attic.
Have heating and cooling system checked annually to ensure efficient operation.

Water Heater

Set water heater between 120° and 130°.
Turn water heater off when leaving home for two or more days.
Consider adding an insulation jacket to the hot water tank and insulating the water pipes to retain heat in the system.

Washer and Dryer

Wash full loads and use cold water.
Clean your dryer lint trap after each load so air flows easily.
Clean lint from inside your dryer exhaust line, and make sure it’s tightly connected and not kinked or compressed.

Refrigerator and Stove

Tighten a loose rubber seal on your refrigerator door with hot air from your hair dryer—just run dryer all the way around the seal.
Keep refrigerator temperature on 40° and freezer on 5°.
Keep your freezer as full as possible to keep it cold and save energy.
Use your microwave instead of the stove whenever possible.
Don’t use your stove to heat your house.

Lighting

Change your light bulbs to LEDs.
Check the package to make sure you are buying the right bulb for the fixture, purpose, color and wattage you need.
Always buy ENERGY STAR®-qualified LEDs.

Water

Make sure the rubber flapper in your toilet tank forms a tight seal to keep water from leaking into the bowl. Leaks can add 50 percent or more to your water bill.
Install a high-efficiency shower head (below 2 gallons per minute).
Don’t put cleaning tablets in the toilet tank—they can corrode the rubber flapper and cause it to leak.
Replace toilets manufactured before 1994 with water-efficient toilets.
Letting water run while you are washing your car can waste 150 gallons of water, so use a shutoff hose nozzle or turn the water off when you're not using it.
If you have a lawn irrigation system, set it to water no more than twice a week from April through October, and no more than once a week November through March.
Change your irrigation system control unit battery as directed (every one to three years) to maintain settings after a power outage.
Clean out your rain sensor shutoff device annually.
Preparing for winter cold snaps could save you from a costly plumbing bill.

Home Electronics

Home electronics that have earned the government’s ENERGY STAR use up to 50 percent less energy to perform the same functions as standard models - saving consumers money on electricity bills and reducing global warming:

Track Your Usage

My JEA Utility Tracker helps you track your daily electric and water consumption and provides savings tips specific to your home. Find out which appliances use the most energy or water so that you can make better decisions, compare usage from month to month, and follow how much you owe every day of the billing cycle.

Get Started with Utility Tracker