AROUND YOUR HOUSE

• Seal up any air leaks or cracks around windows and doors. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save up to 30 percent annually on your bills.
• Unplug all of your electronic chargers after the batteries are fully charged or the chargers are not in use. Most chargers draw power continuously, even when a computer or device is not plugged into the charger.
• Ceiling fans can make you more comfortable after you set your thermostat higher, but turn them off when no one’s in the room.
• In order to reduce the amount of sun coming into your home, consider adding shades, blinds or window tinting.
• Wipe off or carefully vacuum the bottom of your refrigerator and your freezer coils (usually located in the back of your refrigerator). Make sure there’s nothing obstructing the coils. Coils need air space to work properly.

ABOVE YOUR HEAD

• Did you know dust reduces light output by as much as 25 percent? Keep your light bulbs clean.
• Always turn off incandescent lights when you are not in the room. These bulbs only use about 10-15% of their energy for light; the rest is given off as heat.
• Also, replace a few of your most-used light fixtures and/or bulbs with LED lights. LEDs convert 95 percent of the energy, only wasting five percent.

IN YOUR KITCHEN

• As soon as your oven is pre-heated, put the food in, and try not to open the oven again until finished. You lose 25 percent of the heat every time you open your oven and check the food.
• Avoid using the conventional oven when you’re trying to heat up or cook leftovers. Use microwaves or toaster ovens instead.
• Pack your freezer. A full freezer is more efficient than an empty freezer. Fill up space with plastic containers of water if you have a lot of empty space.
• Choose glass or ceramic pans for cooking in the oven; they tend to heat much faster than metal pans.
• Pack your dishwasher. A partially empty dishwasher uses the same amount of energy as a full dishwasher.

DOING THE LAUNDRY

• Wash and dry full loads of laundry. A full load of laundry uses the same amount of energy as a partially empty load.
• Don’t over-dry clothes.
• Keeping your dryer trap clean for more energy efficiency.
• Consider washing your clothes with cold water. Most laundry detergents made these days work just as well in cold water.