10 Quick Ways to Save Energy in Your Home

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Residential electricity consumers are constantly looking for ways to save money on their electricity bills, from switching energy providers to making subtle changes in their daily habits to conserve energy. Fortunately, it doesn’t take any massive changes to your home or your lifestyle in order to start conserving energy. These 10 quick methods of energy efficiency work beautifully, especially when used together:

  1. Upgrade your light bulbs. Are you using incandescent light bulbs? Switch them over to compact fluorescent bulbs immediately.
  2. Use a time-based or programmable thermostat. Control the temperature of your home to be comfortable only when you’re present. Don’t waste energy heating or cooling a home when you don’t need to.
  3. Install motion detectors for outdoor lights. Keep your outdoor lighting from running up the tab by installing motion detectors to control your lighting.
  4. Turn off any appliances and lights you aren’t using. It’s a common sense tip that many people miss—always turn lights off when leaving a room.
  5. Get an energy output monitor. For a few dollars, you can get this device, which can tell you which appliances take the most electricity to run.
  6. Seal all air leaks. Windows and doors of old houses are the most susceptible. Caulk or insulate any openings you find.
  7. Improve your insulation. With a minimal investment, you can improve the insulation of your home and lower the need to warm or cool your home significantly.
  8. Unplug appliances you won’t use for a while. Big appliances like televisions and computers can draw power even if they’re turned off, if they’re plugged in.
  9. Upgrade your appliances. This one depends on your budget, but a simple upgrade to an efficient model can be an easy fix.
  10. Maintain your heating/cooling units. Simple procedures like cleaning your air filters can make your heating or cooling units run far more effectively.

These quick ways to save energy may seem somewhat trivial at first, but over an extended period of time they can save you a significant amount of money on your electric bills. The more you commit yourself to energy efficiency, the more benefits you’ll see.