looking for ways to save energy and money at home?  Here are eight things you can do to cost effectively lower your energy bill.

1. Install and set a programmable thermostat.

2. Use sunlight to your advantage.  During winter months, you can take advantage of sunlight by opening your curtains during the day to allow the sun to naturally heat your home. During warmer months, use light-colored window shades or blinds to reflect heat back outside, keeping your home cooler and more efficient. Using natural lighting effectively will also reduce the need to use artificial light.

3. When replacing appliances or purchasing electronics, look for ENERGY STAR appliances, fans and electronics.

4. Choose energy-saving lighting.

5. Use an electronic power strip for your electronic equipment.

6. Reduce energy for water heating. Make sure your water heater is set to no higher than 120 degrees.

7. Hire a professional to maintain your heating and cooling system. Arrange for annual maintenance with a qualified technician

8. Consult a home performance contractor to achieve large savings.

Related posts:

  1. Save Money by Weatherizing Your Home A few years ago, we replaced half the windows in our house and we saved about $500 in heating oil that winter and got a tax credit. When you’re a homeowner it can be hard to find the money to make improvements to the weatherization of your home, but it really does pay off in […]...
  2. Sales Tax Holidays, Save Your Medicare Benefits It’s almost back to school time, and when you’re a parent, that means it’s back to school shopping time.  I don’t know why, but it always catches me by surprise. I should know better. The kids have grown and they need new clothes, and shoes. Their backpacks are worn to threads so they need new […]...
  3. Medicare – Help someone save an average of $3,900 on prescription drug costs Now, you can help someone you care about apply for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. Anyone who has Medicare can get Medicare prescription drug coverage. Some people with limited resources and income also are eligible for Extra Help to pay for the costs—monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments—related to a Medicare prescription drug plan. The Extra Help is estimated to be worth an average of $3,900 per year. ...
  4. Energy-Saving Tips During Energy Awareness Month, consider new ways of saving energy (and money) in your home....
  5. Celebrating Energy Statistics Our guest blogger today is Stacy MacIntyre, who works in the Office of Communication at the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Did you know … · Saudi Arabia was not the world’s top oil producer in 2009? · Renewable energy (biomass, hydropower, geothermal, solar, and wind) provides 8% of the total U.S. energy use? · Coal […]...
  6. Clean Energy Business Plan Competition The U.S. Department of Energy is holding six competitions across the nation that seek to create a new generation of entrepreneurs to address energy challenges. Learn more about these competitions....
  7. How to Protect Your Home from Wildfires Summer heat can bring wildfires. If you live in an area where they are common, there are steps you can take to minimize damage. The best thing you can do is use fire resistant building materials. If this isn’t possible, be sure to remove flammable materials, such as leaves, from your roof and store gasoline […]...
  8. Cells’ energy factories linked to damaging inflammation Scientists have discovered that molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by the energy factories, or mitochondria, in cells, may play a role in a rare inherited disorder in which uncontrolled inflammation damages the body’s tissues. Their research in human and mouse cells suggests that blocking these molecules could reduce inflammation in TNF receptor-associated periodic […]...
  9. Tips for older adults to combat heat-related illnesses Older people can face risks related to hot weather. As people age, their bodies lose some ability to adapt to heat. They may have medical conditions that are worsened by heat. And their medications could reduce their ability to respond to heat....
  10. Get Earth Month E-Mail Tips To celebrate Earth Month, the Environmental Protection Agency is sending out daily e-mail tips. If you sign up, you’ll receive information about saving energy, using water efficiently, how to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and more....
  11. Medicare, NIH alerts caregivers to increase in SIDS risk during cold weather Parents and caregivers can take steps to reduce the risks of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) during the colder months, when infants are at higher risk, according to the National Institutes of Health....
  12. Shockable cardiac arrests are more common in public than home Cardiac arrests that can be treated by electric stimulation, also known as shockable arrests, were found at a higher frequency in public settings than in the home, according to a National Institutes of Health-funded study appearing in the Jan. 27 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine....
  13. Medicare Fraud HEAT Task Force Operations Medicare Fraud HEAT Task Force Operations...
  14. Medicare, Medicare Card, Government Grants It’s late at night, the TV’s on and you see a commercial. It tells you that if you just buy this wonderful book, you’ll learn the secrets to get free money from the government to pay your credit card bills, renovate your home, and start a business! It sounds so wonderful, but is it too […]...
  15. LIHEAP Can Help You Survive the Cold LIHEAP Can Help You Survive the Cold...