With the official start of summer happening last week, Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky are helping customers manage their energy use — and their bills — by offering practical tips focused on the five appliances that use the most energy in the home: air conditioners, water heaters, refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers.
The big five:
• Air conditioners: Set the thermostat to the highest comfortable temperature and raise it a few more degrees when leaving home. Adjusting it 7-10 degrees from its normal setting for eight hours a day can lower cooling costs by up to 10%.
• Electric water heaters: Behind an air conditioner, a water heater is typically the second highest user of energy in a home. Set it to 120 degrees to save 6-10% on energy costs.
Showers often account for over half of a home’s hot water usage — installing low-flow fixtures may result in 25-60% in additional savings.
• Refrigerators and freezers: Set the refrigerator temperature between 35 to 38 degrees. The freezer should be set between 4 to 5 degrees if it is part of a combined fridge/freezer and 0 degrees if it is a separate unit.
To check the seal on the refrigerator door for cracks or deterioration and avoid energy loss, try the dollar bill test: Close the door on a dollar bill – it should stay in place. If it falls, replace the worn seal.
• Washing machines: Run full loads of laundry in the washing machine during morning or evening hours to lower energy use and reduce indoor heat. For additional savings, use cold water whenever possible.
• Dishwashers: Use the dishwasher’s “eco-mode” and/or the air-dry or overnight-dry settings (instead of the heat-dry setting) to save water and energy.
“Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky are here to help our customers take control of their energy use this summer,” said Amy Spiller, Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky state president. “By focusing on how and when these five key appliances are used – while taking advantage of our many energy-efficiency tools and programs – they should see that simple, strategic changes add up and can have a real impact on their bills.”
Midway through each billing cycle, customers will get a Usage Alert email showing how much energy they have used so far. They can compare it to the same time last year (for example, July 2025 vs. July 2026) to track their progress – and, if needed, make further adjustments before their bill arrives.
Duke Energy Ohio & Kentucky offer several other energy-efficiency tips, tools and programs, as well as flexible payment options. More information can be found at duke-energy.com/SummerSolutions.
Duke Energy