Home Energy‑Efficiency Tips
Ready to lower your energy usage and your electric bills? You’ve come to the right place. Simple changes inside your home can make a noticeable difference.
The energy experts at Tampa Electric created these home energy‑efficiency tips to help you use electricity more efficiently and save money—without sacrificing comfort.
For the biggest impact, we recommend starting with a free home Energy Audit. It helps identify where your home uses the most energy and pinpoint improvements that deliver the greatest savings and possibly qualify for rebates and incentives.
Click the tabs below for tips to make your home more energy efficient.
These improvements help maintain comfortable indoor temperatures while reducing energy loss year ‘round.
- Seal air leaks around attics, fireplaces and electrical outlets.
- Caulk and weather‑strip windows and doors to keep conditioned air inside.
- Insulate walls, ceilings and crawl spaces next to unconditioned areas.
- Add foam gaskets behind electric outlets and switch plates.
- Caulk along baseboards to reduce drafts.
- Turn off computers, TVs and electronics when not in use.
- Operate pool pumps only when needed:
- Summer: 6–8 hours per day
- Winter: 4–6 hours per day
- Turn off pool heaters when not in use.
- Choose ENERGY STAR® appliances and replace older models when possible.
- Replace incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs, which use significantly less energy.
- Install timers or motion sensors indoors and outdoors so lights are on only when needed.
- Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms and
- Keep exterior lighting off during daylight hours.
- In warm weather, shade sun‑exposed windows or install reflective window materials.
- In cooler weather, open blinds and curtains during the day to let sunlight warm your home.
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Your kitchen is full of appliances that run daily—and often around the clock. Maintaining their efficiency helps lower ongoing energy costs.
- Replace worn refrigerator door seals to keep cold air inside.
- Upgrade to ENERGY STAR® appliances for improved efficiency.
- Clean refrigerator coils every three months to maintain peak performance.
- Turn on your refrigerator’s power‑saver mode, if available.
- Set refrigerator temperatures to 34°–37°F and freezer settings to 0°–5°F.
- Unplug unused refrigerators or freezers.
- Use smaller appliances like microwaves or air fryers when possible.
- Let hot foods cool before refrigerating.
- Run the dishwasher only when fully loaded.
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Water heaters are one of the largest energy users in your home. The longer they run, the more electricity they use. Reducing hot water use and improving efficiency can help you save significantly.
- Lower your water heater temperature to the lowest comfortable setting, or 120°F or less.
- Install a heat recovery water‑heating system to save 35%–55% on water‑heating costs when paired with central air conditioning.
- Upgrade to an energy‑efficient heat pump water heater.
- Turn down or turn off your water heater if your home is vacant for two or more days.
- Flush your water heater annually to remove sediment and maintain efficient operation.
- Insulate exposed hot‑water pipes to reduce heat loss.
- Install water‑saving showerheads and faucet aerators to use less hot water.
- Limit showers to five to seven minutes to cut hot‑water use.
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Laundry uses both electricity and hot water, so it adds to your energy use in multiple ways. A few changes can make a difference.
- Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible.
- Run only full loads or select appropriate settings for smaller loads.
- Clean the dryer lint trap before every load to keep air flowing efficiently.
- Ensure the outdoor dryer exhaust door closes tightly when not in use.
- Secure the dryer vent hose tightly to the wall fitting.
- Check that dryer vents are not kinked or clogged.
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Looking for year-round savings?
Explore seasonal savings tips and resources for ways to save energy and money in every season.
Programs to help you save even more
- Enroll in Prime Time Plus® to earn monthly bill credits and get a free, smart thermostat installed.
- Subscribe to Energy Planner to get lower rates by shifting energy use to off-peak hours and a free programmable thermostat.
- Apply for rebates on heating and cooling systems, ceiling insulation and programmable thermostats and a discount on AC duct sealing.
- Use our energy calculators to identify and compare your electronics’ energy use and costs to identify opportunities to save.
- See if you qualify for our neighborhood weatherization program to improve your home’s energy efficiency.