What changes did you make to use less electric?

We put an insulation blanket on our hot water heater.

We have a propane cook stove, but we use a wood stove to cook when we heat the house in the winter and I cook large batches of rice, beans and other quanity cooking on a wood stove in my canning kitchen in the summer.
I've been doing my canning in the canning kitchen on a 3 burner propane stove and the wood stove too.
We've started turning off the lights, tv and computer better than we used to.

We shut off our hot water heater and only turn it on when we need hot water. It took a while to get used to no hot water all the time but it's been over a year and we saved about 300 gallons of oil as well as electricity. We also got rid our dryer six years ago and either hang them out to dry or in our livingroom with the woodstove going. Over time we also got rid of all our old appliances and bought energy star, hopefully that helps. Extra house insulation, efficient bulbs, candles...

I know there is so much more we can do so we'll keep at it.

I plugged a meter into my dryer and it actually only burns about 12 cents an hour to run...
and I only have one load of clothes a week so i'll keep the dryer.

in the winter I hang wet clothes up to help heep the air from being so dry with the wood stove...

Comfortablynumb, what kind of meter is that and where would I find one?

I forgot to mention that the house also had an electric water heater. DH built a batch solar water heater to preheat the water, which then goes into the old electric water heater tank. That preheated water is then routed through a tankless propane water heater that only runs when you want hot water.

We are planning a solar powered well pump next.

DH also built a large covered veranda on the front of the house which faces east and gets a lot of sun, so that helps to keep the living room cooler. We also used vinyl roll up blinds on the OUTSIDE of our east and south facing windows to cut the sun by 2/3 from hitting the windows. It still allows light in. Thankfully, the west and north sides of the house are shaded by big trees.

__________________
"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not."
Thomas Jefferson

Hi, my name is Michelle and I'm new to this forum. Early last spring my husband and I installed an wind generator also know as a windmill. We use it for part of our electricity and soon we'll be installing solar pannels as soon as the budget allows. We switched from cordless phones back to dial and a wall phone. Many people do not realize that all of those adapters you need for cell phones, answer machines and cordless phones use alot of electricity. An adapter for a cell phone is still drawing power even if the cell phone is not plugged into it. We recharge them in our vehicles on the way to work or when we go to the store. My husband is building a solr water heater so we don't rely on propane to heat our hot water. In the winter we cook on a wood cookstove and it is tied into our water to heat it incase the sun is not shining. We do have an ac but only used for the extreme heat wave we had. Then all we use is a fan. We try everywere to cut back on our use of electricity.

there's a tool that you plug an appliance into to measure its power consumption. One brand is called "Kill-a-watt".

there's a review at : http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/...monitor_review

Two sources to buy it are:
http://www.supermediastore.com/kilwateldet1.html (Sale Price: $25.50)

http://www.meritline.com/kilwateldet.html ($24.99, Free Ground Shipping to USA Continent)

you can compare prices and vendor ratings for the product at:
www.pricegrabber.com

yup thats the gadget.

I looked on my chart I made i didnt use the kill a watt for the dryer I did the math off the rating plate. because the dryer is 220v

5000 watts running for 1 hour a load, X.065 cents per KWH = .33 cents per 60 min load.

I was mistaken I should have checked my chart.

still, at only 33 cents a load, one load a week, I'll keep the luxury of a dryer.
I used to hang the clothes out but i just got to busy to bother with it.
I was always forgetting to take em down.

the kill a watt is a really handy toy to have! for 110/120 stuff.

We are off grid but we have AC power from our solar system so we really have to watch our conservation. We use compact florescent light bulbs and our appliances all run off of propane (or wood) except for the washing machine which is a Kenmore Elite and is the most energy and water efficient machine on the market. We use the dryer in the winter and rainy months and a clothesline in good weather. We don't have a dishwasher and our hot tub is heated with wood.
We don't use the Aladdin lamps anymore (really need to put a few on Ebay) but we do eat by candleight every night just because we like to.

my washer is 110v and the kill o watt sez, it uses .19 cents for one super sized load of laundry.

not counting the water pump power which cant be that much to fill it... make it a round .25 cents a load with the water pump.

still a deal next to a washboard.
lol

We had a switch put in the kitchen that shuts the hot water off and that does save a lot. We try to shut lights and things off when not in the room. This morning when I took my shower I had forgot to put the hot water on but it was warm enough, with this heat and near the end it was a little cool but it felt good. We have all the windows and doors winterized, and we have a new fridgs that is much more energy efficient. We got rid of our large upright freezer, which was way to big with just the two of us, and now have a smaller chest freezer. I always wash clothes in cold water but I do use my dryer. Always wash full loads. Hope to get some more ideas from you folks.

RenieB

__________________
The Will of God will never Lead You where the Grace of God cannot Keep You

What type of washer do you have? Brand? top loader?....

Hi, Michelle! Welcome!

That sounds very interesting! How big/tall is your windmill? Did you build it yourself? How much space does it take?

Here at our place, we hang clothes to dry most of the time. A/C is run on low, appliances are turned off.

We got a freezer at a garage sale (only $20!) but I am seriously considering not keeping it. I've been canning all the meat and such in there. It sure is handy for sale items, though!

Pony!

We are slowly converting to flourescent lighting and laptops. We don't use the dryer anymore, and we are soon to be replacing our energy hog AC, which makes up half of our $400 electric bill.

__________________
Yes, we did!

Wood backup for electric heat,installed an on demand propane heater to replace the electric water heater..Saved $31to$33 a month and paid for itself in about 26 months.

mm its a "whilrpool super capacity commerical quality" [thats what it sez] top loader.
fairly new like 2 yrs maybe...

the baseboard backup heat system is a real power hog...I dont like to turn them on if I can help it. wood wood wood.