Through our Beat the Peak program, Sussex Rural Electric Cooperative offers ways that members can conserve energy and help keep rates low for all our members. Even if you don't feel that Beat the Peak is right for you, there are other ways that you can change your energy habits to help our membership Beat the Peak! Making these small changes during peak hours will help you conserve energy and will make an impact on your power bill. Below are a few examples of how to get started:

Draw your shades and blinds on the sunny side of your home to reduce heat gain through windows

Set your thermostat 2 degrees or more warmer - the closer to outside's temperature, the more you save!

Save high energy-tasks like laundry for later in the day, after 7 pm if possible, to avoid peak hours

Make sure your AC runs at full capacity and has clean evaporator coils, ideally cleaned yearly

Keep your garage door closed whenever possible to keep cool air from escaping your home

Make sure to turn off any lights or ceiling fans that you have on when you leave the room

Replace disposable air filters or clean permanent ones every month to keep air flowing efficiently

Set your pool filter to run later in the evening, ideally after 7 pm, to have it run during off-peak hours

While cooking, small appliances like microwaves or toaster ovens give off less excess heat than ovens

Energy is wasted on heating water that won't reach the faucet, so set the temperature to cool

Plant deciduous trees to the south of your home to block heat while letting breezes through

A nearly-empty backup fridge wastes a lot of energy - consider emptying it and unplugging it

Take shorter showers, ideally under 10 minutes, to save energy on heating water

Consider drying clothes outside during peak hours rather than using a dryer

When not needed, unplug TVs, laptops, and other devices that draw energy even when not in use

Make sure your refrigerators coils stay clean so it runs efficiently and does not draw extra power

When cooking, covers pots and pans with lids to prevent heat from escaping and cook more efficiently

Only run your dishwasher when it's completely full and aim to run it after 7 pm if possible, during off-peak hours