How to save energy at home.

Looking to save some money on your home energy bills?  Below we outline a few home improvement projects that can help you do just that.

Upgrade to energy-efficient appliances

On average, appliances account for an estimated 13% of your household’s energy cost. One great way to increase your energy efficiency— and reduce energy costs—is to upgrade your inefficient appliances. A few of the top energy-hogs include:

• Heating systems
• Air conditioning
• Water heaters
• Dehumidifiers
• Refrigerators
• Washing machines

The good news is that many appliances have made a lot of energy-saving leaps over the years, with each improvement becoming more efficient than the last.

In particular, there have been some very significant advances in water heater design over the years. With water heaters consuming up to 14-25% of all appliance energy consumed in your home, upgrading to even a newer gas storage water heater (the kind you most likely have now) could help you save upwards of 30% on its energy use per year. Converting to a tankless or gas condensing water heater could potentially save up to $100 a year.

Refrigerators are another appliance that has seen large increases in efficiency since 2000. The standard refrigerator now uses 40–60% less energy than models sold before 2000. Furthermore, refrigerators with the freezer on top are even more efficient than side-by-side models.

And, washing machines have come a long way in design. Switching to a front-loading washing machine can save energy and money as they typically use 50% less water and 37% less energy to help you cut electricity bills and reduce your energy use.