Top 10 Go Green Eco-friendly Energy Tips for Your Home

Change your light bulbs out to CFLs. Home Guides states that your new bulb will use 5 times less kilowatts than an incandescent bulb and the bulb itself will last 5 times the lifespan of an incandescent. This may be a large savings but of course remember to turn off your lights when leaving the room.

Wash smarter. As you know washing machines can use a lot of water and electricity. Try using cold water and making sure you wash full loads. For more tips on reducing your washing and drying cost visit MSN Money

Clean your dryer filter. Look for savings everywhere, clean the lint filter in your clothes dryer. A heavy collection of lint will slow down the air flow in your electric or gas dryer making your dryer work harder. If your washing partial loads you can also save money by reducing dry time if your clothes are already dry. So after each load clean your filter and be conscious of turning your dryer off prior to it running a full cycle.

Control your thermostat. In the colder months, set the thermostat to 68 degrees when home, and then lower the setting 5 to 10 degrees when your house is unoccupied. In warmer months, set the thermostat between 78-80 degrees when your home and 5 to 10 degrees warmer at night or when your house is unoccupied. Care2 has additional tips for your thermostat.

Sealing gaps and insulation is a priority. Take the time to look over your whole home. Common places for the air entering the homes is around your windows and doors. You can simply apply 100% silicone caulk around the openings. Wanna make sure your using the right caulk, visit Caulk your home. Insulation is a little more difficult but if you can see spots in your attic or crawlspace that need insulation go to your local hardware store and get the appropriate R Value insulation to fill the void. You may even find that your floor or attic aren’t insulated. Interested in more, Energy.gov has some tips to help.

Don’t waste water. WaterSense EPA states the average household spends as much as $500 per year on its water and sewer bill but could save about $170 per year by retrofitting with water efficient fixtures and incorporating water-saving practices. So be water conscious by taking shorter showers, don’t leave the water on between rinsing dishes, and try not to over water your landscaping.

Simply unplug it. DVD players, TV’s, routers, cable boxes, and video game consoles. Daily Finance says the average U.S. household spends about $1,900 a year on energy costs, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. And the DOE says that anywhere from 5% to 10% of your residential electricity is sapped by devices that are plugged in 24 hours a day. If you have a surge protector and all of those cords are plugged into it, simply flip the switch when nothing is in use and save yourself some money.

Replace don’t repair. Are you having trouble out of your old refrigerator, freezer, dryer, and HVAC unit? Does it feel like they are sucking the money straight out of your pocket? Even if the dated appliance is still running and doesn’t need a repair, upgrading is the best option. If your in this boat, you should know new energy star appliances use as much as 50% less energy than you current appliance. For more tips check out Deal News

Are you smart with your heat? There are ways to reduce that gas/electric bill that you just cant determine how much its going to be every month. Turn off your bathroom fans, close the curtains and shut your fire place damper. MSN Real Estate published an article that states in just one hour, a hard-working bathroom or kitchen fan can expel a houseful of warm air, according to the Department of Energy. Turn them off as soon as they’ve done their job. Also, you can save by opening your curtains on south facing windows to let that solar heat in during the day.

Don’t forget about recycling. Are you recycling at home? There may be ways to save money and even make money right in front you. Virgin Unite has a list of 10 things you can do to recycle in your home and around you.