Ways to Increase Your Energy Efficiency While Spring Cleaning

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Now that spring has sprung, it’s time for spring cleaning. While you are cleaning out every room of your home, you should take the opportunity to make some changes to your home that will result in energy savings throughout the year.

  • Wash clothes in cold water to save $63 a year. Also, since the weather is improving, hang your clothes to dry outside instead of using your dryer to save energy.
  • Clean or change your furnace filters. Head over to the local hardware store and stock up, too.
  • Upgrade your faucets and showerheads to low-flow options to use less water.
  • Seal air leaks and properly insulate your home. Check for cracks and breaches that can be sealed with caulk or another weather-resistant sealant. The same goes the weather-stripping on your windows.
  • Clean your refrigerator coils to increase the energy efficiency of your refrigerator. If they are clogged up with dust, your refrigerator will require more energy to do the same task.
  • Clean off your light bulbs so that they provide more light—you don’t want them obstructed with dust!
  • Check the track on your sliding door and make sure nothing is in the way. Even small pieces of debris can break the seal created and let heat into your home.
  • Landscaping and planting trees is perfect to do in the spring, and there are several ways to strategically place trees in your yard to combat the elements. For example, you can plant trees that lose their leaves in the fall on the south and west sides of your home to provide shade in the summer and insulate heat during the winter. Also, you can plant evergreen trees on the north and west sides of your home to block those cold winter winds.
  • Install a programmable thermostat.
  • Clean your window shades off. You’ll need them to keep the sun out on those hot summer days.
  • Purchase surge protectors for each of your rooms and plug all of your electrical devices into them. This makes it easy to turn off all of your devices once leaving a room (just by turning off the surge protector) and ensuring you don’t waste energy.

What are some of your favorite spring cleaning tips?