20 Tips to Save Energy Around the Home

The best part about this list is all of these tips are FREE!  They won't cost you a dime and actually help you save energy and lower your utility bills for your home.

1. Close the fireplace damper when you are not using your fireplace.  If it is never used, seal the flue with a plastic bag stuffed with insulation.
2. Lower the indoor temperature a few degrees in the winter months.  You can add an extra blanket on your bed and lower it even more at night, up to 10 degrees when you're on vacation.
3. Close off unused rooms and lower the temperatures by adjusting your registers and dampers. This can save you up to $50 a year alone.
4. Open your shades or blinds to let in sunlight during the day and close them at night to reduce heat loss. For cooling, close them fully during the day in summer months.
5. Clean your furnace's blower fan with a soft brush and vacuum cleaner.
6. Ventilate and cool your home with window or whole house fans during the cooler hours of the day.
7. Skip the dishwasher's drying cycle to cut energy use in half!
8. Wash clothes in cold water rather than warm.
9. Make sure to full fill washing machines and dishwashers for more efficiency use instead of partially full loads.
10. Turn off lights that are not in use. Reduce bulb wattage and use dimmer switches.
11. Clean you washer and dryer filters after each use.
12. Flush your garbage disposer with cold water rather than hot. Grease solidifies in cold water and will wash away.
13. Clean your refrigerator coils with a soft brush each spring.
14. Run major appliances late in the evening or early morning to keep temperatures down in summer months and avoid heavy electric loads.
15. Cook more efficientyly using microwaves, crockpots and pressure cookers.
16. Ride your bike for neighborhood errands instead of your car.
17. Turn off room air conditioners when you leave for an hour or more.  A room can quickly cool down when you turn your AC unit back on.
18. Reduce humidity in bathrooms and kitchens wih exhaust fans. When dehumidifying your basement, close doors and windows.
19. Lower your water heater setting to 120 degrees for energy savings.
20. In warmer weather, set the thermostat higher, 74-76 degrees, and rely on your ceiling fans for cooling even when your air conditioning system is on.

Here are some helpful videos about home insulation.  Another great way to save money on your energy bills:

1. Attic Insulation
2. Crawl Space Insulation
3. Home Energy Audit