Michigan summers mean days at the lake, bonfires and warm weather. But that warm weather can mean more electric use. With a little planning, you can stay comfortable, take advantage of lower off-peak rates and have fun this season.
When you adjust your habits and do things like laundry, dishes or run your air conditioner in off-peak hours, you benefit from a lower electricity rate.
- Pre-cool your home before 3 p.m. – Did you know that running your air conditioner can account for as much as 40% of your electric usage? Get a programmable thermostat and set your home to get a few degrees cooler than normal by 3 p.m. Then, you and your family can enjoy a comfortable home during on-peak hours without paying on-peak rates to run your air conditioning. If you don’t have one, you can get up to a $50 instant rebate on a programmable thermostat at the DTE Energy Marketplace so your savings can start even sooner.
- Run your dishwasher before bed – Done cleaning up your kitchen at 6:30 p.m. and ready to start your dishwasher? Press pause on your routine! If you wait until after dark to run your dishwasher, you get to take advantage of lower off-peak rates and cooler temperatures outside, meaning you’re spending less to do the chores while keeping your home comfortable.
- Make Saturday laundry day – Don’t want to worry about when hours switch from off-peak to on? Do the chores that require a large appliance – like your laundry – on the weekend when you benefit from off-peak rates all day long. To help your house stay cool, though, it’s still best to run those large appliances in the morning or evening when temperatures are lower.
- Charge smarter – Have an EV in your garage? Make sure you’re charging up when rates are lowest. Plug in your vehicle before bed and take advantage of the lower rate, saving you even more per mile over the cost of gasoline. Want to maximize your savings? Consider installing a separate meter and benefitting from our special EV rate.
- Pick the best rate for your household – Did you know DTE offers three base rates to choose from? Find what works best for your home with our Bill Management Tool which uses data from how your household uses electricity and see if you could save by switching to the right rate for you.
- Soak up the summer fun – turn those on-peak hours into an excuse to have some fun this summer. Try having a water balloon fight, going to a movie or checking out a museum. Find some great ideas here!
This summer, you can manage your energy use and stay comfortable by just keeping a few things in mind. When you plan ahead, making the most of warm weather can also mean making the most of your energy!