Electricity

If you have a two-level house and spend the majority of your time downstairs, consider hanging a curtain at the top or bottom of the stairs. This will prevent the warm air, which rises, from escaping upstairs. Alternatively, hang a curtain in the doorway of the living area to … [Read more...] about Use a curtain to prevent heat from escaping up the stairs

You can save money by heating just the parts of the home you regularly use. Consider buying a couple of space heaters and keeping them in rooms you use the most, then switch off the central heating. Heated mattress pads don't use much energy, so use one instead of cranking up … [Read more...] about Use space heaters or mattress pads to cut down on the heating bills

Use a vacuum or broom to get rid of dust build-up around the condenser coils every one to three months. Dusty coils make a refrigerator work harder, which leads to higher electric bills, so clean them regularly. The coils are either behind or under the refrigerator, depending on … [Read more...] about Clean gaskets and condenser coils in the refrigerator to minimize energy loss

A lot of energy can be wasted keeping water hot all day. Depending on the type of water heater you have, this may be more or less of an issue, but it's particularly common with old heaters (pre-1998). Consider installing a hot water timer, which will shut off the heater … [Read more...] about Install a water heater timer to save up to 12% on energy costs

If you are in the market for a new hot water heater, or yours is more than 10 years old, consider a new energy efficient model, which will use much less energy than their older counterparts. Look for an ENERGY STAR rated water heater, which can save 15% on energy bills. You … [Read more...] about Buy a newer, more energy efficient water heater