When daylight hours shorten, you may want to rethink when you do laundry, run the dishwasher, or even shower. Your hot water heater and other large appliances use a lot of energy, so consider using them when the sun is shining and your solar system is producing energy. Staggering their run times throughout this period can help avoid needing to switch to the utility grid for power. If you're not home during the day, some appliances let you set start times via an app or appliance plug timer.

Fall leaves and snow on your solar panels can prevent your system from producing energy, potentially contributing to higher utility bills. Schedule a professional to clean your panels if they are dirty or covered with debris. Also, cloudy, rainy, or snowy conditions directly affect how much solar your system can produce to power your home. Extended periods of inclement weather may lead to higher utility bills, as your home will likely rely on the grid more than usual.  

As you prep for the fall and winter holidays, consider energy efficiency as you decorate your home. This could mean replacing older lights with solar-powered or LED options which last longer and use less energy. Also, be sure to put lights and other electricity-powered decorations on a timer, so they turn off after a few hours versus running throughout the night. 

When cooking for upcoming holiday festivities, a little planning what to cook and when could boost your energy savings. Electric ovens, for example, with fast preheat settings use a big boost of power to get to the right setting. Once you achieve that high heat, it’s best to cook most of your dishes consecutively to avoid continually reheating the oven.

Regardless of the season, adopting energy-efficient habits can help you make the most of your solar energy system and keep your utility bills as low as possible.