While major energy saving is achieved through major investments in equipment such as high efficiency furnaces, air conditioners and other devices, we can achieve additional savings by implementing small changes in our homes.

1. Replace your bulbs with LED ones. LED bulbs may have a higher initial cost, but once installed, will use minute amounts of energy and serve for years, if not decades. LED lights pay back relatively quickly.

2. Shade your home. If you live in an area with long hot summers, shade the home and allow less sunshine inside. It will increase your air conditioner’s efficiency.

3. Weatherize your home. Weatherizing your home means locking all drafts and putting window insulation kits. These measures tighten your home making it less exposed to extremely high or low temperatures. This way your heating and air conditioning systems use less energy.

4. Use dishwasher. Hand washing your dishes is not only consuming your time and energy, but also more power, water and detergent than a modern dishwasher does. Buy highly efficient all-in-one tabs which make your dishes fully clean.

5. Don’t leave things behind turned off. Although it may seem to you that a turned on bulb, stereo system, television or any other electronic device consumes little energy, abundance of these in your home will make them consume together more energy than a single major appliance (e.g. an oven or a kitchen range).

6. Install a smart thermostat. These thermostats are logically programmed, which means they can “think” instead of you and in many situations would allow heating and air conditioning systems to deliver just the needed amount of hot or cold air. Smart thermostats will never forget to turn these devices off when they should be off.

7. Replace your air conditioner filters. Old and dirty filters will force the air conditioner to work more should it follow instructions given by the thermostat. In most cases you will notice no discomfort, just an increased energy bill.

8. Don’t use dryer all the time. During warm weather, line dry the clothes. These will be dried in not much more time, and you will save considerable amounts of energy.

9. Avoid using high temperature settings on your washing machine. Modern laundry detergents will deep clean your clothes even at lower temperatures.

10. When buying new appliances, look for energy efficiency. High energy efficiency appliances may cost a bit more initially, but it will quickly pay back through lower bills. Consult your appliance vendor or call the chosen brand’s support to recommend you the model with optimal price-performance ratio.