ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. \u2013 While summer heat has already settled across Florida, the astronomical start of the season is observed this Sunday, June 21. Duke Energy Florida is helping customers manage their energy use \u2013 and their bills \u2013 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.<\/p>\n
The big five: <\/p>\n
\n\tAir Conditioners:\u00a0Set 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%. \u00a0
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\n\tElectric water heaters:\u00a0Behind 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.
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\n\tShowers often account for over half of a home\u2019s hot water usage \u2013 installing low-flow fixtures may result in 25-60% in additional savings.
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\n\tRefrigerators and freezers:\u00a0Set the refrigerator temperature to 35-38 degrees. The freezer should be set to 4-5 degrees if it is part of a combined fridge\/freezer and 0 degrees if it is a separate unit.
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\n\tTo check the seal on their refrigerator door for cracks or deterioration and avoid energy loss, try the dollar bill test: Close the door on a dollar bill \u2013 it should stay in place. If it falls, replace the worn seal. \u00a0
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\n\tWashing machines:\u00a0Run 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.
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\n\tDishwashers: Use the dishwasher\u2019s \u201ceco-mode\u201d and\/or the air-dry or overnight-dry settings (instead of the heat-dry setting) to save water and energy.
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Our view:<\/p>\n
\u201cDuke Energy Florida is here to help our customers take control of their energy use this summer,\u201d said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. \u201cBy focusing on how and when these five key appliances are used \u2013 while taking advantage of our many energy efficiency tools and programs \u2013 they should see that simple, strategic changes add up and can have a real impact on their bills.\u201d<\/p>\n
Get a progress report: <\/p>\n
Midway through each billing cycle, customers will get a Usage Alert<\/a> 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 \u2013 and, if needed, make further adjustments before their bill arrives.<\/p>\n More resources are available:<\/p>\n Duke Energy Florida offers several other energy efficiency tips, tools and programs as well as flexible payment options. More information can be found at duke-energy.com\/SummerSolutions<\/a>. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Duke Energy Florida<\/p>\n Duke Energy Florida, a subsidiary of Duke Energy, owns 12,500 megawatts of energy capacity, supplying electricity to 2 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across a 13,000-square-mile service area in Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n Duke Energy <\/p>\n Duke Energy (NYSE: DUK), a Fortune 150 company headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., is one of America\u2019s largest energy holding companies. The company\u2019s electric utilities serve 8.7 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, and collectively own 55,700 megawatts of energy capacity. Its natural gas utilities serve 1.6 million customers in North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio and Kentucky.<\/p>\n Duke Energy is executing an energy modernization strategy, keeping customer value at the forefront as it invests in electric grid upgrades and efficient generation resources to strengthen the system and serve growing energy needs.<\/p>\n