Did you know our Lowcounty power company, Dominion Energy, has a tiered pricing structure for residential customers? As a residential power customer with Dominion Energy, understanding and managing your electricity usage based on peak pricing can lead to significant savings. Under Rate 5, published September 2024, the cost of electricity varies throughout the day:
- Peak Hours (6:00 AM to 9:00 AM, weekdays): October through April.
- Peak Hours (4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, weekdays): May through September
- Off-Peak Hours (all other times)
- Super Off-Peak Hours (1:00AM to 5:00 AM) Year Round
By shifting your energy use to off-peak or super off-peak hours, you can effectively lower your energy bills, especially if you focus on appliances that consume the most electricity. Super Off-Peak hours are billed at less than 25% of the same consumption during Peak Hours pricing, with standard Off Peak being around half.
Major Energy-Consuming Appliances
The largest electricity users in most homes include heating and cooling systems, water heaters, washers, dryers, refrigerators, and lighting. Adjusting when you use these appliances can help you avoid higher charges during peak times:
- Heating and Cooling Systems: These account for nearly half of a typical household’s energy use. Setting your thermostat to reduce heating or cooling during peak hours can greatly cut costs. Using a smart thermostat can automate this process which we can help you select and install. Ceiling fans and air circulators are another great product we can put in your home to soften the electricity bills.
- Water Heaters: These are major consumers of electricity, especially when providing hot water during peak hours. Try scheduling showers and other hot water usage during off-peak times.
- Washers and Dryers: These energy-heavy appliances can be scheduled to run during off-peak or super off-peak hours using the delay-start feature, which is now standard in many modern machines. Running these appliances overnight can result in significant savings.
- Dishwashers: Like laundry machines, many dishwashers offer a delay-start feature that allows you to run them during super off-peak hours, taking advantage of the lowest rates. Results may vary with wet clean laundry waiting in the machine, but changing up your schedule can help save your bill.
- Lighting: Switch to LED bulbs and minimize unnecessary lighting with timer or smart switches, particularly during peak hours, to conserve energy and reduce costs. Transworld Electric Inc can fit LED’s into any lighting configuration with our LED Retrofit service.
- Smart-Bulbs and Switches: These Wifi, Zigbee, and Bluetooth enabled machines can help save a bundle with their automation features, but be warned: the same Wifi-enabled LED bulb can consume more than double of a standard analog bulb of the same wattage. They are always on, and may not be blanket solution for your needs in a residential application.
Using Delay-Start Features to Save
Many modern appliances, such as dishwashers, washers, and dryers, now come with delay-start features, making it easier to run them at the most cost-effective times. By scheduling these machines to run during off-peak or super off-peak hours, you can automatically save money without altering your routine.
Additional Tips for Reducing Energy Costs
- Smart Thermostats: Invest in a smart thermostat to automatically adjust heating and cooling based on peak times. This is one of the most effective ways to reduce energy consumption.
- Energy-Efficient Appliances: Upgrading to energy-efficient appliances can lower overall energy usage, even during peak times. Look for appliances with the ENERGY STAR label, which are designed to use less energy.
- Monitor Your Energy Usage: Dominion Energy offers online tools to help you track your energy consumption in real-time. By monitoring usage patterns, you can make more informed decisions on when to use energy-intensive appliances and when to cut back.
By taking advantage of off-peak and super off-peak pricing, as well as using delay-start features and energy-efficient appliances, you can significantly reduce your electricity costs. Shifting your energy use to times when demand is lower will not only save you money but also help ease the strain on the power grid. If we can help install or recommend these cost-savings investments for you, fill out our contact form or text us directly below.
For more detailed information on Rate 5 pricing and how it impacts your bill, visit Dominion Energy’s Rate 5 tariff page.
