Home Energy Saving Tips

Everyone wants to save money when they can. Here are some energy saving tips that will help you save energy and help the planet at the same time! Let’s review some ways that you can save money on your energy bill. Some of these energy saving tips may seem small, but the small things add up.

Technology is nice. Real nice. And sometimes we wonder how we lived without it. But all of the high tech devices in our homes run the power bill up. Make sure that you turn them off when they are not in use. As a matter of fact, many still use energy when turned off. The best method is to unplug them. Or you can plug them into a power strip and turn the strip off. Actually that power strip may save your high tech equipment from power surges!

Heating and cooling is a big part of your energy bill. Let’s make sure that we don’t make those systems work any harder than they have to. Let’s make sure that our home is sealed from the outside elements. Check for air leaks around windows, doors and any other joints. The best way to check is to move a feather or candle around the area and see if there is any air moving. If there is, use some sealant to seal the cracks and recheck. This is one of the energy saving tips that could really pay you back in savings!

Also make sure that you have serviceable weather stripping around doors and anything else that moves. Don’t forget about that attic or basement door.

Make sure that you keep your vents clear. Insure that they are not being blocked by drapes, carpets, furniture, or anything else. Make sure that they are clean.

Drapes are great to help with windows that aren’t as energy efficient as they could be. Or to help with your use of the sun. If you are looking for some heat from the sun open those drapes. If you are trying to cool your home close the drapes to keep the sun out. This is a very small task, but get everyone involved to insure that it happens.

This is one of those energy saving tips that might not apply to you. But look for leaks from exhaust systems such as stove vents or dryer vents.

Have your heating or air run less while you are away or are asleep. The easiest way to do this is with a programmable thermostat. They are very inexpensive and easy to install. But you can still just adjust the temperature manually if you prefer.

And one of my favorite energy saving tips! Hot water is a very large expense. When doing laundry, make sure that you use cold water when possible. Also make sure that you have a full load before you start the wash. Reduce he number of loads by making sure that they are full.

Dishwashers also use a lot of hot water. Make sure that they are full as well before you turn them on. They use the same amount of hot water no matter what size the load is.

So there you have it. A few energy saving tips that are inexpensive, and easy to implement that could save you a lot of money on your energy bill. These energy saving tips will save the planet and save your some money!

Bonus Energy Saving Tips!
If you have to replace any worn out systems or appliances, do some research to insure that you get the most energy efficient replacements.
Check your vents in your crawl space. They should be closed.