Easy Low-Cost and No-Cost Ways to Save Energy in Your Home
Are you looking to put money towards a family vacation or have a romantic night out with your spouse or significant other? Are you looking for extra money for the upcoming Christmas Season? If so, you’ll want to check out these easy low-cost and no-cost ways to save energy and money, courtesy of the Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency Initiative. These may lead to your saving a few hundred dollars and putting the money towards something you “want.”
1. Install a programmable thermostat to keep your house comfortably warm in the winter and comfortably cool in the summer. In addition, have your heating system inspected and serviced annually by a commercial heating technician who is an expert in heating repair services. By getting a professional furnace repair you avoid costly replacements later on.
2. Use energy efficient light bulbs with the ENERGY STAR® label.
3. Air dry dishes instead of using your dishwasher’s drying cycle.
4. Turn off your computer and monitor when not in use.
5. Plug home electronics, such as TVs and DVD players, into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use (TVs and DVDs in standby mode still use several watts of power).
6. Lower the thermostat on your hot water heater to 120°F. If your water heater isn’t working properly, it may be using more energy than usual so you need to contact a water heater repair contractor immediately.
7. Take short showers instead of baths.
8. Wash only full loads of dishes and clothes.
9. Caulk, seal, and weather strip all seams, cracks, and openings to the outside.
10. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label on home appliances and products. ENERGY STAR® products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency.
I received no compensation for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are 100% mine.
I truely believe in the power strip. We have one for our living room for all of our electronic equipment and I have noticed the difference. I also unplug our microwave when not in use and stove. Our stove has an electronic clock on it so it uses juice when not in use. First it annoyed my husband but then I did a little experiment and to show him it really does save money. He was surprised with our bill the next month cause it was lower, just by doing those few things.
I honestly don’t even understand why they still sell big appliances (refrigerators, microwaves, dishwasher, etc.) that aren’t Energy Star rated!
Thank you for the tips! I always look for more ways to cut down our electricity and gas bill
I never thought of the power strip idea for the tv’s, dvd players, etc. That really is a great idea. Every little bit our family can save all adds up!