From Guest Blogger Brooke Chaplan: How to Save Energy in Your Home Every Day

Your energy bill is probably one of your largest monthly expenses. That is why you should be doing everything in your power to reduce your energy consumption. Maximizing your home’s efficiency is especially important during the hottest and coldest months of the year when the HVAC system is constantly running. Here are a few simple tips that will help you keep your energy bills under control.

Banish Phantom Loads

Many of the appliances and electronics throughout your home will continue to draw power even when they aren’t being used. Those phantom loads might be costing you well over $35 every single month. Whenever possible, you should completely unplug any appliances and electronics that aren’t being used. You can also plug your devices into a power strip and then flip the power button at the end of the day or on your way out of the house.

Replace Your CFL Bulbs

Even though CFL bulbs are relatively inexpensive, they tend to draw an exorbitant amount of power. Those older bulbs are inefficient because most of the electricity is turned into heat instead of light. Modern LED bulbs use just a fraction of the energy, and they usually last for years. Replacing all of the old bulbs in your home could save you a few hundred dollars a year depending on the size of your family and how often the lights are used.

Have Your HVAC System Serviced

In the average home, the single biggest energy consumer is the heating and cooling system. Most modern HVAC systems are relatively efficient, but they still need to be serviced at least once or twice a year. Well before the first heat wave hits, you should contact a local HVAC company and schedule air conditioning services just in case. As the weather starts to cool off at the end of the year, a contractor can also check the furnace, insulation, and air ducts.

Use Your Appliances Efficiently

Making small changes to how you use your appliances is another great way to save quite a bit of money. An example of this would be washing your clothes in cold water instead of hot water. Assuming that you wash two to three loads a week, this change might end up saving you well over $100 a year. You can also change your refrigerator’s settings to improve its efficiency. Increasing the temperature by a few degrees will lower your energy bills and extend the service life of the refrigerator.

Improving the efficiency of your home is an ongoing process that you will need to constantly revisit. Luckily, a few simple changes around your house could end up saving you thousands in the coming years.