Save money in a new SolarSmart^SM Home!
Find out how you can save up to 60% on your electric bill and get a 30% solar tax credit! Join SMUD and LENNAR on Saturday, August 28, at The Gardens and The Gables at Vineyard Point in Sacramento.

Support New Millennium Foster Family Agency and a cleaner environment
Join Greenergy® and SMUD will contribute $20 to the New Millennium Foster Family Agency! Learn more

Carbon Offsets 
Support a cleaner, healthier future for just $10 a month - join SMUD’s Carbon Offset Program!

Appliances

• Refrigerators are one of the largest energy consumers in a home. Maintain its efficiency by cleaning the coils at the back or bottom of the unit.
• Choose an ENERGY STAR® model when shopping for a new fridge.
• An old, inefficient refrigerator or freezer could be costing you up to $125 a year in energy costs. SMUD will pay you $35 to recycle it and will even pick it up. More.

Electronics

• Purchase electronic equipment with the ENERGY STAR^® label -- they use15-40% less energy. More
• Most electronic equipment and chargers draw standby power even when turned "off" Unplug these "energy vampires" or turn them off at the power strip when not in use.

ENERGY STAR^® Compact Fluorescent Lights 

• Use up to 75% less energy than an incandescent bulb.
• Last about 10 times longer than an incandescent bulb, requiring fewer bulb replacements.
• An ENERGY STAR CFL will save about $30 over its lifetime and pay for itself in 6 months.
• Come in a variety of shapes and sizes to fit most applications.
• CFLs emit less heat, making them cooler to the touch and safer.
• Replacing a single incandescent bulb with a CFL will keep a half-ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.
• RECYCLE. RECYCLE. RECYCLE. CFLs must be disposed of properly. Click here for information on recycling CFLs and recycling locations.

Ceiling fans

• Ceiling fans and other fans create air movement that makes you feel up to 4 degrees cooler, allowing you set the A/C thermostat higher and save energy.
• Turn off fans when you leave the room.
• Replace your ceiling fan's incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR® compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) -- they emit less heat and use a fraction of the electricity.

Cooling 

• Set the thermostat on your air conditioner at 78 degrees when you are at home and at 85 degrees at night or when you are away from home.
• During the summer, close the drapes on sunny days to keep out the sun’s heat.
• Check your air filters monthly -- dirty air filters can lower your cooling capacity and use more energy.
• Have your heating and cooling system serviced every year or two to ensure long-lasting performance.
• The average home loses 20 percent of its heating/cooling through cracked or leaky ducts. SMUD contractors can diagnose the integrity of your home's central system. more