In today’s blog post we are going to be talking about a few simple tips and tricks that will help lower your energy costs on a monthly basis. And with summer quickly approaching, it is a good idea to get yourself and your family in the habit of implementing these as soon as possible. We hope you enjoy and hope they prove to be helpful!

The first trick we have for you is to install dimmer switches and light/motion sensors. How many times have you or your children mindlessly left the lights on when you leave the room? These devices are great because the automatic systems help to conserve light energy when you and your family forget to turn the lights off.

Next, you always want to make sure to unplug all appliances when they are not being used as they tend to drain energy - even if you were to power off the device completely. The Department of Energy estimated that appliances can increase your electric bill by ten percent or more, so this trick can prove to be very beneficial for you and your family.

It is always a good idea to keep your hands off the thermostat, as frequently altering the settings can end up wasting a lot of energy. You may also consider implementing a programmable thermostat that will adjust the temperatures automatically for you and thus save energy.

Many people do not realize that your front door can be a huge culprit when it comes to energy loss for heating and cooling your home. Be sure to use weather stripping, as well as check the caulking, to make sure both are properly sealing the air in the home. And if need be, it may be a good idea to invest in a new front door altogether.

If your HVAC systems are more than ten years old, they tend to be less efficient and can also waste money every month. You may want to consider upgrading to Energy Star-qualified replacements to help ensure the system is not draining energy and money.