25 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

There are many ways to make your home more energy efficient. Here are 25 of them!

  1. Use cold water in your washing machine.
  2. Use natural light when possible, especially during the winter. It will reduce your need for artificial light and sunlight will take some of the burdens off your HVAC system.
  3. Keep your shades and curtains closed during the summer. This will keep your home cooler and reduce your need to use air conditioning.
  4. Switch to LED lightbulbs.
  5. Seal and insulate your home. Sealing cracks and gaps where warm or cool air can pass through will save you money by making your home more energy efficient.
  6. Check your air filters. Dirty air filters make your HVAC system work harder than it needs to.
  7. Don’t open the oven when you bake. This quickly reduces the temperature inside the oven. Instead, use the oven light and window to check on your baking.
  8. Use your microwave instead of your stove when possible.
  9. Use a timer or photocell for your outdoor lights. This will ensure the lights aren’t on when they don’t need to be.
  10. Keep your thermostat at a reasonable temperature. Setting it to a low or high setting to quickly increase or decrease the temperature wastes energy. Instead, set it to 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the summer and 68 during the winter.
  11. Keep appliances that produce heat like TVs or lamps away from thermostats. This can give your thermostat an inaccurate temperature reading.
  12. Air dry your dishes instead of using your dishwasher's heated dry setting.
  13. Use the dishwasher and clothing washer/dryer in the early morning or at night. This will keep your home cooler and reduce the strain on the electrical grid.
  14. Use your bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans as little as possible.
  15. Use a ceiling fan to stay cool.
  16. Use indoor plants around the house. Not only will they improve air quality, but they’ll also keep you cooler during the summer.
  17. Keep the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer set at the manufacturer’s temperature recommendation.
  18. Defrost your refrigerator and freezer to reduce ice buildup and energy waste.
  19. Replace single-pane windows with more energy-efficient windows.
  20. Turn off the lights when you’re not using them.
  21. Switch off the oven a couple of minutes before the timer goes off. The oven will remain hot for many minutes after you turn it off.
  22. Dress accordingly. In the summer wear cool clothing inside and in the winter bundle up inside!
  23. Use a whole house fan. This keeps your home cooler and reduces your need for energy-inefficient AC.
  24. Use an attic fan. This keeps the temperature down in your attic, which cools the rest of your home and prevents a buildup of moisture in the attic.
  25. Use a garage exhaust fan. Garage exhaust fans improve the air quality in your garage and keep it cool without the need for AC.