• The first thing to do is to start thinking of all the ways you use your electricity and ways you can reduce its use ( i.e.  use ceiling lights instead of lamps placed all over the room - this can reduce the amount of light needed to illuminate any room ). Be critical and brutally honest - Keep using only what you really need to use for you to be comfortable and so you still feel at home .
  
• Because I own one I have to recommend riding an adult electric bicycle or tricycle for trips to the grocery store or for any short trips you need to make. This will save money on gas and keep you mobile with minimum expense .
  
• Change all you light bulbs to the new energy saving compact fluorescent or better yet LED bulbs . LED bulbs are not hazardous like compact fluorescent`s are if they break. CFL`s have mercury and need to be cleaned up a certain way . (US:EPA instructions for  -Cleaning Up a Broken CFL) . Using either of these bulbs can save you 30-50% on your lighting bill.
  
• Electrical powered products all use energy just keeping them plugged in ,unplugging your appliances when not in use saves any power those appliances may be using . (Toasters for instance.) Locate your power bars in easily accessible places and shut the power bars off when not in use  - for electrical appliances be sure to unplug them when not in use  (doing these two suggestions will stops any "phantom electricity" from being drawn for no good reason)
• Take shorter showers - just taking a 1-2 minutes off your shower time will save you about 500 litres a month in water and much of that is hot water, also attaching a stop water flow just before your shower head / sprayer will save on heated water being used when your lathering up in the shower. Heating water can be a real drain on gas or electricity so keep these 2 things in mind. You can purchase a stop water flow attachment at any good hardware or plumbing store.
  
• Wrap the hot water pipes in your home with foam pipe wrap. This keeps your pipes warm between uses and in turn your water does not have to heat the pipe first before giving you hot water and also be sure to wrap your hot water heater with an insulation blanket ( check your hot water heaters manual for compatibility) that way the water inside stays hot and and you will be saving energy by using less energy keeping  the water in your tank hot.
• Turn down how hot you keep the water in your hot water heater too .Only keep the water as hot as you need it and not hot enough to scald you.
  
• Use Energy*Star appliances in your home to make sure you use your electrical appliances efficiently.
• Purchase a  hi efficiency dishwasher and only use it when you have a full load and use the power saver mode when you do.Avoid the pre-rinse cycle , most dishwashers do not really need this feature because they are now powerful enough not to and opt for the air dry method or the good old hand drying towel.
  
• Wash clothes in cold water (cold water cleans just as well as hot water and will save energy heating the water - use cold water detergents for your laundry and if possible find one that`s biodegradable and environmentally friendly.Wash only full loads and keep in mind that when drying your clothes they don`t have to be in the dryer for the full 45 minutes to an hour .Hang them up and when they`re dry pop them into your dryer for 15 minutes to get rid of wrinkles and activate your fabric softener. Don`t forget you can always hand wash your clothes too , especially if they`re not that dirty .
  
• In the summer when running your central air conditioning system keep it at 78F degrees or higher or maybe start spending some time in your basement and put up a window air conditioner and only cool this part of your house (basements are easier to cool and to keep cool) .Be sure to only use your air conditioners when you really need to and use them sparingly if at all possible.
  
• Keep your heating system at 68F degrees in the winter and colder if you can handle it . (Figure savings at about $10 per degree that you lower the thermostat per month - this depends on your heating system also) . At night you can lower the temperature 2-3 more degrees- just add a extra blanket on your bed to stay warm.
• Purchase energy star rated windows for your home to reduce heat loss or purchase a home window insulation kit and seal up your windows extra tight and if these are too expensive just be sure to keep your curtains drawn to help keep the heat inside your house by creating another barrier for the cold to cross before entering your house just leave your curtains open a little bit just to let in some light during the day.
  
• Have your homes outside  block walls insulated - - read what the Canadian Gov. recommends about this - Insulating Walls
  
• Some people can overdo it a little when shutting off their lights to save energy . When leaving a room to which you will be returning to very shortly do not keep shutting the lights every time you leave the room . You see when you turn the lights back on there is a spike in your electricity use, so leaving your lights on in this case would save you money. (the same would go for anything that works on electricity).
• Make sure your house`s attic is insulated properly and filling any cracks or holes in your foundation will all save you energy as well and don`t forget to use caulking around your windows and door  frames . Installing weatherstripping around windows and doors and even inside your outside walls electrical receptacles you can put a piece of faceplate insulation.
  
• If you have a crawl space under your house make sure it is insulated and place a radiant heat barrier shield under your house to prevent heat loss from what is known as emission. If you do this it will do a much better job keeping the heat out in the summer and cold out in the winter than using insulation alone.  Adding a radiant heat barrier can be applied to your whole house and does not deteriorate like insulation will over time .
  
• If you still have an electric wall clock maybe you should buy a new one that works on batteries (2 batteries will easily last over a year in a clock these days) .
• Consider what alternative energies can accomplish -Creating your own solar power using solar panels and wind power using a wind turbine generators are among the most popular options these days to save energy by creating your own electrical energy to use . Think of converting some of your energy consumption to renewable green energy .  Gas2Electric  which will convert your car to run on electricity . Build yourself a solar panel to charge a battery you can then use to power some lights in your house or maybe even think of converting your whole house with Earth4Energy - all of these guides i mention are perfect for teaching you how to confidently accomplish these tasks and all come with simplified detailed instructions for doing it all yourself . Click this link to be directed to our index of DIY Green Product Reviews.
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• There are more tips below but most of all - If you`re not using something electrical , don`t just shut it off - unplug it - this goes for everything.

Tips for Saving Energy Around the Home

Christmas Season Needs to be the Time to Start Saving Energy