From Guest Blogger Brooke Chaplan: Energy Conservation–Four Ways Consumers Can Save Electricity Every Day

Not only is conserving energy in your home good for the environment, it also can be good for your wallet. The less energy you use, the less it will cost you. Electricity is the energy used the most in most homes, so finding ways to conserve is important. Here are four ways consumers can save electricity every day.

Stop Energy Vampires

There are devices and appliances in your home that will suck small amounts of electricity just by being plugged in. These energy “vampires” can jack up your bills without you even knowing it. Energy vampires include computers, cell phone and other device chargers, small electronics and other items. Basically, anything electric in your house that can be unplugged when it’s not in active use should be. Doing so will save small amounts of electricity that can add up to big savings over time.

Improve Your Energy Efficiency

A lot of electricity is lost through inefficient lighting and appliances. If you have older appliances, upgrading to more efficient ones can help to save on electricity costs. Another way to save electricity is to replace your old light bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescent lamp bulbs. These bulbs, though they are more expensive, last longer and are much more efficient, so they will save you energy and money over time.

Use Your Expertise

Learning more You don’t have to have a masters degree in engineering or some other advanced degree to save on electricity costs, but if you do, you should take advantage of your expertise to come up with solutions to save on electricity. Such solutions could include upgrading your electrical wiring, installing a smart thermometer or a number of other things that you might normally need an electrician for.

Take Care of Your HVAC System

Your heating and cooling system is a big electricity user, especially in the summer, so anything you can do to help it run more efficiently will save electricity. One of the best and easiest things you can do is to changes the filters in your HVAC unit regularly. You also should hose down your AC compressor located outside at least a couple of times a year and have your unit professionally serviced at least once a year.

Saving electricity makes sense, and it also will save you cents — and dollars. It doesn’t take a lot of energy to save energy. Following these and other tips will help ensure that you don’t use more electricity than you need to.