According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, space heating (and cooling) accounts for close to half of residential energy consumption each year. If you are worried about your next electric bill this winter, here are 10 tips to help you save money:
1. Insulate your home to reduce heat loss in cold weather and heat gain in hot weather. Use attic insulation and seal your windows and doors with sealing tape or weather strips.
2. Use a programmable thermostat to automatically increase or lower the temperature in your home.
3. Set the temperature to 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees during the night or when no one is home.
4. Regularly maintain your air conditioner ventilation system. Keep the vents open and change the filters monthly.
5. Replace incandescent light bulbs with Energy Star compact fluorescent lights or LED bulbs.
6. Turn off lights when they are not in use.
7. Unplug all home electronics and appliances when not in use. Use power strips to easily disconnect multiple devices at once.
8. Replace old, power-hungry appliances and electronics with newer, energy-saving ones, preferably with the Energy Star label.
9. Whenever possible, use the cold water cycle to wash clothes in your laundry machine. Avoid washing small loads and consider air-drying wet clothes instead of using a dryer.
10. Run only full loads in the dishwasher and use the energy saver setting if available.
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