Take Charge of the Energy in Your Home

An energy-efficient home means less wasted energy and more savings in your pocket! Click through the rooms below for tips to save energy, become more efficient and better manage your electric bill!

Kitchen

Don’t peek! Check on your food by using the oven light to save energy. Oven temps can drop by 25 degrees when you open the door, which in turn requires more energy to bring the temperature back up.
Use less water and electricity to wash the dishes by using your dishwasher. The load sensor of your ENERGY STAR-certified dishwasher measures the number of dishes in the dishwasher and adjusts the amount of water to it, so water– nor energy, is wasted.
Unplug small appliances when not in use. Items like your slow cooker or coffee pot can draw tiny amounts of power even when turned off. This is referred to as standby, vampire or ghost power.

Living Room

Blinds and curtains can make a big difference in temperature control! Keep blinds and curtains closed on the sunny side of your home during warmer months to keep the temperature cooler and reduce the work of your air conditioner. During colder months, open them and let the sun warm your home.
Switch to an ENERGY STAR-certified TV. It’ll save energy whether it’s off or on.
Invest in a smart thermostat. It’s programmable and can help you easily adjust your home’s temperature according to your needs, plus you’ll save an estimated $180 a year in energy costs.

Bedroom

In the warmer months, use a ceiling fan to cool you down at night. This allows you to raise the thermostat setting of your air conditioner a few degrees without jeopardizing comfort – just be sure to turn it off when you’re not using it.
In the cooler months, put another blanket on the bed and lower your thermostat setting of your furnace at bedtime. (You also can reverse the direction of your ceiling fan to push warm air back down into the room!)
Turn off the lights when they’re not needed. It costs $20 a year to leave one light on for 8 hours a day!

Bathroom

Insulate accessible hot water pipes with a do-it-yourself kit from your local home improvement store. This can minimize heat loss and save you 2-4% annually.
Turn off the bathroom’s ventilation fan when it’s not in use. This reduces energy and prevents its replacing of inside air with outside air.
A low-flow shower head saves water and helps you use less hot water, thereby reducing the energy it takes to heat it.

Laundry Room

Wash your clothes in cold water when possible. This not only preserves hot water, but your clothes are just as clean.
Replace old windows with ENERGY STAR-certified windows across your house can lower your energy bill by up to 12% annually.
Invest in an energy efficient dryer vent cover. It blocks outside air from easily entering the home and prevents clogs that decrease a dryer’s energy efficiency.

Office

Clean and replace all filters in your home regularly. Dirty filters make the HVAC system work harder and run longer than necessary.
Turn off power to all laptops, monitors, printers and copiers when you’re not using them to save energy.
Reduce phantom power by unplugging anything that’s not in use -- like phone or laptop chargers. Leaving cords plugged in when they’re not connected to devices is a common way phantom power can add up.

Garage

Invest in an electric vehicle. Though a higher upfront cost, most will offset this initial cost over their lifetime. And, with little to no maintenance required (such as changing the oil or replacing spark plugs), electric vehicles generate fewer emissions over its lifetime when compared to standard cars.
Install a weather strip, or door sweep, under the garage door to help keep the cold air out and the warm air in.
Air seal your home. Adding insulation and air sealing can save you up to 10%! In addition to your garage, check your attic, crawl space and basement for air leaks.