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According to the U.S. Department of Energy, home heating and cooling accounts for 48% of your energy bill. The average American household spends over $2,000 on home energy every year, and the 115 million residences in the United States today use around 22.5% of the nation’s energy.

Making sure your home is energy efficient is vital. Many homes waste energy on a daily basis due to factors like old appliances or leaky windows and doors, but there are ways you can save energy, as well as the money you spend on your utility bills.

10 Energy Efficiency Tips for Your Home

As winter is approaching, furnaces throughout Northeast Ohio will be kicking into high gear very soon. Here are some simple and effective tips to improve your home’s energy efficiency through the entire year:

1) Install a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperature in your home throughout the day. You can lower the temperature when no one is home, and overnight just throw an extra blanket on the bed and you’ll stay cozy. A programmable thermostat can save you up to 10% on your heating and cooling costs.
2) Check your furnace’s air filter. Clean or change the filter monthly. A dirty air filter will block the air flow through the vents, and over time this can even damage your heating and cooling system.
3) Turn things off. This might sound like common sense, but people do have a tendency to walk out of a room and forget to turn off the lights or the television. Make sure you shut off all electronics that aren’t in use, too. You can use a power strip to turn off TVs and DVD players or computers, monitors and printers all at once to make it even simpler.
4) Lower your water temperature. Ideally, your water heater should be set no higher than 130 degrees. You can even wrap the water tank in a special “blanket” to help retain the heat inside. About 15% of the home’s energy bill goes to heating water.
5) Take showers. Speaking of water, try to lessen your shower times and don’t take baths often. You can also install low-flow faucets or showerheads to see even more savings on your energy bill.
6) Wash full loads only. Wait until you have a full load of laundry for the washing machine and that your dishwasher is stocked with dishes before running them. Also, air dry clothes and dishes as much as possible.
7) Properly insulate your home. Seal air leaks in windows and doors by using caulk and weather stripping. This can save you up to 20% on your heating and cooling bills.
8) Change the light bulbs. You can reduce energy use by about a third with today’s energy-efficient LEDs and halogen incandescent bulbs.
9) Heat or cool only the rooms you use. If you aren’t using that spare bedroom or office daily, close the vents to the rooms.
10) Use the window shades. In the summertime, keep the shades or blinds drawn to keep out hot sun rays. In the winter, let the sun shine in.

Improving your home’s energy efficiency doesn’t take a lot of work or a lot of money, and we’re sure you’ll notice the benefits quickly in your monthly energy bills.

Have questions about making your home more energy efficient? If you’re in the Cleveland area, give us a call at 216-663-6462.