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:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Insulate your home<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2.<\/strong> Use a programmable thermostat<\/strong> to automatically increase or lower the temperature in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3.<\/strong> Some resources suggest to set the temperature to\u00a068 degrees<\/strong>\u00a0during the day in the winter (and lower at night) and\u00a0as low as 55 degrees<\/strong>\u00a0when no one is home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 4.<\/strong> Regularly maintain your air conditioner<\/strong> ventilation system. Keep the vents open and change the filters monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 5<\/strong>. The same goes for your furnace – make sure you’re replacing the filter<\/strong> when it’s dirty. Check it every month to make sure it’s still allowing proper air flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. Replace incandescent light bulbs<\/strong>\u00a0with Energy Star compact fluorescent lights or LED bulbs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. Turn off lights<\/strong>\u00a0when they are not in use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. Unplug<\/strong>\u00a0all home electronics and appliances when not in use. Use power strips to easily disconnect multiple devices at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. Replace old, power-hungry appliances<\/strong>\u00a0and electronics with newer, energy-saving ones, preferably with the Energy Star label.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10.<\/strong>\u00a0Whenever possible, use the\u00a0cold water<\/strong>\u00a0cycle to wash clothes in your laundry machine. Avoid washing small loads and consider air-drying wet clothes instead of using a dryer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 10.<\/strong> Run only full loads<\/strong> in the dishwasher and use the energy saver setting if available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. Bonus tip – seal drafts<\/strong>. In window (use the window cling film for an easy, temporary fix), and around doors! Drafts not only make you feel less comfortable, but they exchange heat and cold from indoors to the outdoors, costing you more to run your furnace or air conditioner!<\/p>\n\n\n\n