5 Green Ways to Save Energy

At this point, we have all heard of fast, effective, and easy ways to save energy at home and at work. We know that conserving energy is very important for the environment. And many times we hear of the same suggestions on ways to save energy. Things such as installing energy-saving windows, for instance, or other energy-saving tips such as lowering the thermostat. It's working, too: for example, every year the people who use solar energy to reduce the use of oil by 75 million barrels. However, there are also some other ways to save energy, too. Here are some green ways to save energy which also may end up saving you money as well!

1. Work From Remote Locations - Working from remote locations allows you to save resources from both personal and the office. While visiting a new coffee shop or shared work space, you may find that those locations are using significantly greener options to reduce their energy footprint. Many new establishments are building in ways to save on energy use. Patronizing your local community helps them, helps you, and helps everyone save more.
   
2. Use Homemade Cleaning Products - One fantastic way to help the environment and save yourself some money is to make your own supplies for cleaning. Natural products such as lemon and vinegar are so good for the environment and so refreshing in your home. Natural ingredients are also much better for the quality of your indoor air.
   
3. Use Your Electronics - Resist the temptation to turn in all your electronics every time a new, updated model appears on the market. If you can keep all of your cell phones and computers as long as possible, you are doing the environment a great service. When the time comes that you absolutely do have to replace them, make sure that you donate them or recycle them properly.
   
4. Use Secondhand Stores - Buying items from second hand stores or thrift stores, garage sales can be like finding a treasure chest! Some items are barely used at all. And some are so unusual that they will be definite conversation pieces in your homes. Gently used clothes are so much better for the environment the new clothing. Purchasing from secondhand merchants definitely has an effect on the environment. And it will have an effect on your wallet as well!
   
5. Use Locally Grown Foods - This is a green option that has wonderful results! First of all, when you buy from your local farmers and retailers, you are helping the economy in your neighborhood. Secondly, locally grown food is often more organic, and sustainable seafood tastes absolutely delicious. Third, if you try this option you may find that you can give up having meat one day a week. And this will definitely make your grocery bill less expensive. What a win-win!

These suggestions will definitely make a difference in your budget and in the environment, as well. Naturally, you want to save electricity, you want to reduce energy use in your home—you want to do all you can and find ways to save energy in your home. These homegrown green energy tips are fun, too, because they can all be done as family projects. Filled with common sense, they will actually help yield great energy conservation results and make you feel good that you are doing your part to save energy.

Biggest Summer Energy Expenses and How to Reduce The​m​

If you're looking for ways to save some money so you can spend it on fun-filled summer activities, you should start by evaluating your energy expenses. Summer tends to cause an increase in energy bills -- fortunately, there are easy ways to reduce these costs.

Biggest Summer Energy Expenses

Like every other time of the year, summer comes with its own unique energy challenges. Let's look at a few of the biggest culprits for increasing energy bills.

Cranking up the air conditioning: When the temperatures start to rise, everyone's first instinct is to turn up the AC. And while it's nice to have a cool, comfortable home, air conditioning can cause your energy bills to increase significantly. So try to remember that the closer the temperature is inside to outside, the lower your energy bills will be. Try other methods to cool down like opening windows for a cross breeze and utilize ceiling and floor fans.

Letting cool air escape: If your home has cracks and leaks around windows or doors, you may be letting your cooled air sneak out of your home. While this may not seem like a big use of energy, sealing air leaks and ensuring your home is properly insulated can save you up to 20% on cooling bills. When there are even small holes or leaks, your cooled air can easily escape, making your cooling costs skyrocket.

Using more hot water: With the kids out of school, your dishwasher and washing machine are probably running more often. And it's important to remember that you'll use the same amount of water whether or not the machine is completely full. So to avoid wasting water and energy, make sure you're always doing a full load of dishes or clothes.

Renewable Energy Options to Consider

Fortunately, if you consider using sustainable sources of energy, you can save significant amounts on your energy bills all year long. There are plenty of sustainable sources of energy to explore to fit your wants and needs.

Solar panels: With solar energy becoming one of the most popular renewable energy sources, solar panel costs continue to decrease. Even if you can only afford one or two, utilizing solar energy is a great way to save money on energy expenses, especially with the hot summer sun beating down.

Solar oven: If you're looking for more of a DIY source of sustainable energy, you should consider making your own solar oven to cook your meals with. They're easily made out of a few common materials and work by trapping sunlight. This is a great project to get the whole family involved with too.

Hydroelectric power: If you have a source of flowing water nearby, you can make some of the water flow through a turbine to produce energy. While you may need a professional to help install the hydropower generator, it's a great way to utilize natural resources to help power your home.

By exploring some sustainable sources of energy and being smart about how you're using energy at home, you can significantly reduce your energy costs this summer.

Simple Ways to Save on Cooling Costs This Summer

During the summer, many homeowners may experience an increase in their energy expenses. There's generally one major factor in this increase: cooling costs. With the summer heat, people tend to crank up the air conditioning so they can be cool and comfortable inside. And while this may be nice at the moment, it can be financially damaging in the long run. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways you can keep cool this summer without breaking the bank.

Utilize ceiling fans: One of the main reasons houses feel warm and stuffy is because there's no way for the air to circulate throughout the house. So to help with this issue, you should consider using ceiling or other circulating fans to help with airflow. Whether the air is on or not, using ceiling fans can be a great way to make your home feel cooler. Just remember to turn them off when no one is in the room, otherwise, you'll waste electricity.

Clean the AC unit: Over time, AC units become clogged with debris. When this happens, the unit has to work harder to get the cool air throughout the house which, in turn, increases energy use. Cleaning and replacing filters when necessary can significantly decrease the amount of energy your AC unit uses. And if your unit is pretty old, you may want to consider upgrading to an energy-efficient model. Furthermore, you could install a programmable thermostat, which can help save up to 10% on cooling energy expenses.

Open the windows: If you're looking for really simple energy saving tips, start with your windows. If you live in an area where it's generally cooler at night, turn off the AC and open the windows before you go to bed. This can help get fresh, cool air into your home. Additionally, if the sun shines into your home during the day, try keeping your shades or blinds shut to prevent the sunlight from increasing the temperature in your home. And if your windows aren't in great shape and let air escape from the house, energy saving windows can help significantly reduce energy expenses.

Just because the heat rises in the summer doesn't mean your energy bill has to do the same. With these simple tips, you'll be able to keep cool and keep energy expenses low all summer long.

Biggest Summer Energy Expenses and How to Reduce Them

If you're looking for ways to save some money so you can spend it on fun-filled summer activities, you should start by evaluating your energy expenses. Summer tends to cause an increase in energy bills -- fortunately, there are easy ways to reduce these costs.

Biggest Summer Energy Expenses

Like every other time of the year, summer comes with its own unique energy challenges. Let's look at a few of the biggest culprits for increasing energy bills.

Cranking up the air conditioning: When the temperatures start to rise, everyone's first instinct is to turn up the AC. And while it's nice to have a cool, comfortable home, air conditioning can cause your energy bills to increase significantly. So try to remember that the closer the temperature is inside to outside, the lower your energy bills will be. Try other methods to cool down like opening windows for a cross breeze and utilize ceiling and floor fans.

Letting cool air escape: If your home has cracks and leaks around windows or doors, you may be letting your cooled air sneak out of your home. While this may not seem like a big use of energy, sealing air leaks and ensuring your home is properly insulated can save you up to 20% on cooling bills. When there are even small holes or leaks, your cooled air can easily escape, making your cooling costs skyrocket.

Using more hot water: With the kids out of school, your dishwasher and washing machine are probably running more often. And it's important to remember that you'll use the same amount of water whether or not the machine is completely full. So to avoid wasting water and energy, make sure you're always doing a full load of dishes or clothes.

Renewable Energy Options to Consider

Fortunately, if you consider using sustainable sources of energy, you can save significant amounts on your energy bills all year long. There are plenty of sustainable sources of energy to explore to fit your wants and needs.

Solar panels: With solar energy becoming one of the most popular renewable energy sources, solar panel costs continue to decrease. Even if you can only afford one or two, utilizing solar energy is a great way to save money on energy expenses, especially with the hot summer sun beating down.

Solar oven: If you're looking for more of a DIY source of sustainable energy, you should consider making your own solar oven to cook your meals with. They're easily made out of a few common materials and work by trapping sunlight. This is a great project to get the whole family involved with too.

Hydroelectric power: If you have a source of flowing water nearby, you can make some of the water flow through a turbine to produce energy. While you may need a professional to help install the hydropower generator, it's a great way to utilize natural resources to help power your home.

By exploring some sustainable sources of energy and being smart about how you're using energy at home, you can significantly reduce your energy costs this summer.

How Can Homeowners Save On Energy Costs in Summer?

How Can Homeowners Save On Energy Costs in Summer?

With warm and sunny weather just around the corner, homeowners should be thinking about how to save on cooling costs and energy use this Summer. Contrary to popular belief, saving energy doesn't have to be difficult! By working with a sustainable residential energy provider and doing a few things to reduce energy at home, homeowners can significantly cut back on energy use. To help you get started, this article is going to discuss a few easy ways to reduce energy costs at home this summer.

1. Open the windows. While many people are tempted to crank up the air conditioner as soon as it gets warm out, this obviously increases energy use. Instead, homeowners should consider opening windows. Not only does this allow for some fresh air to get in the house after being closed off all winter, but it will allow for a cross-breeze and will naturally cool down the house. If homeowners do choose to crank up the AC, they should ensure they speak with their residential energy provider about heating and cooling costs.
2. Keep the curtains closed. When the sun is out, most homeowners enjoy keeping their curtains and blinds open to let the sun into their home. However, this added heat inside the home can lead homeowners to crank up the AC. So by keeping window treatments closed, homeowners can reduce heat gain as the temperature gets warmer. This is one of the easiest ways to save energy and add a little decor to a home as well.
3. Plant some trees. Summer is a great time to get some gardening done. And guess what? Planting trees can even help you reduce cooling costs! Shade trees and even appropriate painting can help homeowners reduce energy use and save up to 2.4 tons of CO2 emissions each year. Furthermore, each tree that's planted absorbs about 25 pounds of CO2 each year as well. So not only will homeowners have nice trees in their yard, but they'll enjoy reduced energy costs as well.
4. Have the AC unit serviced. As the temperature rises, the AC unit will inevitably be turned on. After sitting idle for the winter months, air conditioner units will have to kick it into overdrive to cool the house down. By getting their AC unit serviced, homeowners can ensure their unit is running as efficiently as possible. If the filters are clogged or parts are going bad, the inefficient unit will increase energy costs. But a little regular maintenance can help homeowners with their energy reduction and keep their house cool.
5. Cook dinner outside. With warm weather comes those yummy summer foods like burgers and hot dogs. But instead of cooking them inside, homeowners should consider grilling out. Not only will they get to enjoy the nice warm weather, but they'll keep the heat out of their homes and save electricity by choosing to grill out instead. In doing this, homeowners will be saving energy and getting yummy food, so it's a win-win.

Summer is a great time to start reducing energy use. With it being not too cold or not too hot, there are plenty of opportunities for homeowners to take advantage of the mild weather and not use their cooling systems too frequently. By working with their residential energy provider and making a few simple changes at home, homeowners can reduce their energy use, their energy bills, and do their part in saving the planet at the same time.

Easy and Inexpensive Ways to Create a Sustainable Home

While there are plenty of ways to save energy in your home, going green can actually be more expensive. Buying green cleaning products and investing in energy saving initiates can sometimes turn people off because of their prices, despite being an investment into the home's energy costs down the line.

However, there are plenty of ways to save on energy costs in your home. Follow some of these tips and tricks and your wallet will thank you!

Make sure to turn off all electronics when you are done using them. Even if they are turned off they can still be sucking energy from your home, so simply turn them all the way off when you're done. This includes your computer, your television, and your microwave.

Install a programmable thermostat. Doing so will save you up to 10% on cooling and heating costs as you'll be able to plan exactly when your home will use its energy efficiently.
Ditch your newspaper and magazine subscriptions -- you'll be able to read them online for a similar price but save loads of paper in the process.
Get rid of your paper towels and invest in cloth. It may take some time getting used to, but you'll be shocked at the amount of paper you use every day that just goes into the trash!
Time your showers. Play your favorite song and see if you can get in and out by the time it is done.
Buy a lunch box instead of using plastic bags every day. Not only will you reduce your plastic consumption, you'll be inspired to pack your lunch every day because of your nice new bag.
Contact your utility provider as they may have some sustainable energy options for you to try out including solar, wind, and geothermal.
Put a recycling bin on every level of your home so there is no excuse for your family not to recycle.
Pay all of your bills online. Less paper equals less energy used overall -- and direct deposit means you won't have to worry about a thing!

These simple tips and tricks will go far when it comes to investing in taking care of Mother Nature.

Keep the Energy in! Three Different Types of Energy Saving Windows

We're always looking for ways to conserve energy and lower utility costs in our homes. Not only that, but we want every dollar to go towards keeping us warm and cozy in the winter and cool in the summer. One of the solutions we don't typically consider has to do with our windows. We know we can shut them and keep the heat in, but not many of us know there's a way to go beyond that to save on energy costs even more.

It was easy about 150 years ago for wood to supply nearly 90% of the nation's energy, keeping costs down nice and low. In the modern age, that just isn't feasible. However, when you consider switching to energy saving windows, you may be able to cut down your personal energy costs. Here are three treatments you can give to your windows to save on your next energy bill.

Triple Glazed Vinyl
Using triple glazed vinyl windows is an excellent way to save energy inside your home. Not only do they keep the heat in, but they actually draw in solar energy from outside to lock into your house as well. These energy saving windows are well-made and strong, keeping your house warm during cold weather and cool during hot weather. They provide top of the line energy conservation for your home.

Gas-Filled Windows
While this concept of gas trapped between glass panel windows may seem odd to people, these treatments make energy savings go through the roof. The gases used are either argon, xenon, or krypton, and they are sealed between the panes to prevent condensation. These windows are excellent when it comes to storing energy, though their costs might vary depending on what type of gas is used.

Triple Glazed Wood Frame
Similar to triple glazed vinyl and gas-filled windows, the wood is treated to prevent any excess energy from leaving the house and costing you more money. Also, wood frames tend to have a lot more character, and you can never go wrong with an attractive wooden frame.

No one wants to find out their well-earned cash is flying out the window. If you're trying to find some new ways to save a couple extra bucks this season, give energy saving windows a shot and see if you like them.

Beat the Summer Heat Without the Big Energy Bill

Americans look forward to summer vacation all year, but the warmer weather can also bring it's own set of challenges. The heat is great for a beach vacation, but it also makes the average energy bill go through the roof. Air conditioning represents the largest use of electricity in American homes, and that statistic is unlikely to change with the record high temperatures that the United States has already seen this year. Alternative energy companies encourage consumers to think differently about their power suppliers for environmental reasons, but there are also economic advantages involved.

Three Ways Homeowners can Slim Down Their Summer Electricity Bills:

Install a programmable thermostat

Even before alternative electricity suppliers become involved, homeowners can reduce their summer spending by installing and programming a smart thermostat. This appliance can maintain your desired room temperature to keep you comfortable. Heating and cooling systems will kick on and off as needed, rather than working continuously. 

Motivated homeowners can even set temperature changes according to time of day, so that their system isn't burning energy to keep the house cool while everyone is away at work. The result is an efficient heating and cooling system that expends less energy. Programmable thermostats save consumers an average of 10% on their yearly energy bills. 

Update your appliances

Alternative energy companies often suggest an energy audit, or an appliance-by-appliance look at where your home uses electricity. Out dated TVs and old refrigerators can be significant drains on your energy bank. It may be more cost effective to replace those appliances than to pay for their inefficiency. For instance, modern refrigerators are 60% less expensive than they were in 1975, and they use 75% less energy. 

This means you can abandon that weird ice cave in the back of the freezer and save. Heating and cooling systems are especially big drains, so think about your hot water heater, oven, and microwave in addition to your fridge. Updating appliances is a great way to slim your energy bill before you consider alternative energy companies.

Consider alternative power companies

The energy market is slowly shifting and becoming more competitive.  Previously, regulated markets meant that only one power provider supplied all aspects of a home's energy and the cost was controlled publicly. Deregulated markets allow companies to become innovative and compete to offer the best services for the best price. The deregulation of electricity markets isn't about making the power supply less controlled; it's about letting new technology improve the market. Look into your options and decide what's best for your energy needs. 

Summer is upon us and it's going to be a hot one! Before you crank up your AC, take a look at these simple tips for conserving energy this season.

Six Ways to Conserve Energy:

Use a Programmable Thermostat: Did you know that the largest use of electricity in the United States’ residential sector is air conditioning? AC accounts for 19% of electricity use in homes. However, you can save approximately 10% every year on heating and cooling costs simply by using a programmable thermostat.

Replace your HVAC Filters: When an HVAC system is not functioning properly, it must work even harder to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Replacing the filters is an easy and inexpensive way to keep your system running smoothly. Some energy companies and power suppliers offer incentives for installing high-efficiency systems, so talk to your electric company.

Keep it Shady: Your house doesn't have to be a dark cave, but too much sunlight will heat up your living space quickly. Insulated drapes and blinds will keep the sun at bay, preventing the interior of your home from becoming an oven. This way, you won’t have to crank up the AC at all times.

Use Cold Water/Limit Hot Water Usage: Heating water accounts for up to 18% of a home’s utility bills. You can save energy just by washing your clothes in cold water and cutting down your shower time.

Air Dry Laundry and Dishes: Rather than wasting energy on machine-drying clean clothes and dishes, hang your laundry on a line or drying rack and allow your dishes to dry on their own.

Unplug Chargers and Other Devices: Some chargers and other electronic devices continue to draw power even when they are not in use. Always unplug anything that does not need electrical power at that very moment.

We use a lot more electricity than we realize these days. In fact, U.S. electricity use in 2013 was more than 13 times higher than electricity use in the year 1950.  Fortunately, those who live in deregulated energy markets have options. 

The deregulation of electricity markets gives consumers a choice of energy suppliers. Deregulated energy markets can motivate suppliers to help offer competitive prices and can also allow for the institution of renewable energy companies that provide green energy products. As a result, consumers can help cut costs and do their part to improve the environment, especially during the hot summer months.

New York's Community Choice Aggregation is One Option for Deregulated Energy Markets

Deregulated energy markets can help to lower costs and increase customer service of energy companies and power supplies across this country. Well, where they're legally allowed. Unfortunately, many states are still lagging behind when it comes to deregulated electricity and alternative energy sources. 

One state that does have partially deregulated energy markets, even if many residents are still unaware of it, is New York. In fact, New York recently became the seventh state to implement a community choice aggregation program: Sustainable Westchester Smart Power. 

According to Greentechmedia.com, community choice aggregation (CCA) allows municipalities to buy power in bulk on behalf of their citizens. The goal is to procure cleaner and more sustainable power from renewable energy companies. 

Currently, only about 25% of Westchester County's residents have elected to seek out new sources in the deregulated energy markets. Under this new CCA, the majority of towns in the greater Westchester area (population 800,000 total) will be included in this agreement. Right now, the largest of such CCA programs is in Ohio. 

“As the first community choice aggregation in New York state, Westchester Smart Power holds the potential to transform how consumers purchase, use and choose the energy for their homes and businesses,” Richard Kauffman, chairman of energy and finance for New York state, said in a statement. 

One of the interesting facets of the New York deal is the emphasis on new renewable resources, whereas most deregulated energy markets tend to focus on cost-savings. Average electricity use, which was 13 times more in 2013 than in 1950, costs households approximately $107 per month. In the residential sector, air conditioners account for the biggest use of electricity (19%). 

“If Sustainable Westchester can get private suppliers to bite at a peak demand reduction contract feature, they have created a private-sector solution to a major challenge,” Karl Rabago, executive director of the Pace Energy and Climate Center, said in a statement. “An efficiency solution would address reliability issues, and add substantial economic value with an environmentally beneficial approach.”

The Time is Now for Exploring the Benefits of Alternative Energy Suppliers

Why opt for alternative energy suppliers? Many consumers don’t even realize they have this choice. Many states today, however, have a competitive -- also known as a restructured -- energy market. This means that you don’t need to necessarily go with your default, current provider and can instead search among alternatives. 

The Benefits of Alternative Solutions Thanks to Deregulated Electricity Markets 

In most cases, the utility company has a monopoly on distributing electricity to your home if you live within their territory. What you’re not obligated to do, though, is buy electricity from them -- and today, the cost of generating electricity is less than half of what you actually pay for when you get your bill. This can allow you to not only have more control over your budget, but control over your carbon footprint, as well. In certain regions you may be able to opt for energy that comes specifically from water or wind, rather than from coal or fossil fuel. 

The average American household will pay about $107 each month in energy uses -- equivalent to 903 kilowatt hours (kWh). Knowing what your average monthly energy usage is can help when you compare your options for alternative electricity suppliers. Not all companies are the same, and some offers will be better than others based on your individual needs and typical usage. The ideal alternative electricity suppliers for a home will be different than for a business. 

Additional Ways to Cut Down on Your Overall Energy Bill 

Besides looking into your options for alternative electricity companies, how else can you save money on heating and cooling? Most households can save about 10% per year on the cost of heating and cooling, simply by using a programmable thermostat. 

Similarly, it makes sense to invest in efficient appliances, especially if your current appliances are over a decade old. Manufacturers today are often aiming for efficiency for even standard machines, and super efficient models can often be purchased for an extra cost. The average refrigerator sold today, for example, uses 75% energy than a fridge sold in 1975 -- and refrigerators today are both larger, and less expensive to purchase. 

Thanks to the deregulation of electricity markets, consumers have more choices than ever before. Don't put off examining your options -- switching to alternative electricity companies could help save you money every month you live in your home.

7 Simple Strategies for Making Your Pool More Energy Efficient

With hot summer weather descending over most of the country, you’re probably feeling pretty grateful if you have a pool. But that feeling may be diminished every time you open up a bill from the electric company. The good news is that there are many energy solutions that can help you to reduce your pool’s energy usage and keep your electric company bills under control. Here are seven simple strategies for energy savings when it comes to your pool:

Get a Pool Cover

You might think that a pool cover only matters in the cooler months when you’re heating your pool (just as water heating is an expense inside your home, accounting for between 14% and 18% of your utility bills, heating water for the pool can be very expensive). But in addition to regulating temperature, pool covers help to reduce evaporation; because of all the energy that goes into cleaning and treating water, having to constantly top up your pool actually uses quite a bit of energy.

Install a Windbreak

Wind blowing over the surface of your pool can be a major cause of both evaporation and heat loss. By installing a fence that also provides a windbreak (either with screens between the posts or taller landscaping), you’ll achieve both safety and energy efficiency goals.

Schedule Your Pump

One of the easiest ways to see an energy reduction with your pool is to schedule your pump to make sure it runs for only as long as it needs. The amount of time will depend on the size of your pool, but the goal is to have all the water circulate once and only once daily.

Use LED Lighting

Make sure all the lighting in and around your pool uses LED bulbs. These last many times longer and draw far less electrical energy than traditional or CFL bulbs.

Turn Down the Temp

You know how you can save around 10% on heating and cooling costs in your house using a programmable thermostat? That goes for the pool, too. Make sure your pool temperature is set lower when you’re not using it so that the heater doesn’t work overtime.

Skim Regularly

The less debris that makes it to the filter, the less likely your filters are to get clogged and lower the efficiency of your system. Try to skim daily (and keep in mind that a cover will also keep leaves and dirt out of the pool).

Buy the Right Tech

Sometimes, energy efficiency simply comes down to newer, better technology. Having a high-efficiency pool pump can lead to savings you’ll notice on every single electric company bill, winter or summer.

Did you know that as of 2013, U.S. electricity usage had gone up by 13 times since 1950? Share your tips for reducing a pool’s energy usage in the comments.

5 Hidden Energy Eaters in Your Home

In the summer, opening up a bill from the electric company can come as a bit of a shock. But once you get over the initial disbelief, it’s time to start informing yourself about where all that electricity is going. By replacing energy hogs or being smarter about use, it’s possible to see lower electric company bills without much difference in your day-to-day life. Here are some big energy users that might surprise you:

Set-top Boxes

Set-top boxes often keep drawing their full power requirements even when they look as if they’re turned off, making them a big energy eater. The LA Times even reported last year that set-top boxes have become the second-largest energy user in many homes. Game consoles can use quite a bit of electricity as well, especially if they’re kept plugged in and on standby mode.

Furnace Fans 

Space heating/cooling has represented a big chunk of home energy use for a long time, generally floating in the range of 40% to 50% of total utility bills. And your system may be using more electrical energy than you expect. Even if you have a furnace or heat pump that runs on gas, it’s likely you have an electric-powered furnace fan that drives up utility costs. It may not be cost-effective to change your heating system, but you should at least consider a professional energy audit that can give you an idea of where heat/AC is escaping your home -- so you can keep the heat in and get the associated energy savings.

Water Heaters 

Heating water typically accounts for 14% to 18% of the average utility bill. A combination of installing efficient or tankless water heaters -- which heat only as much water as needed -- and taking shorter showers can tackle the problem. You might also consider using cold water for laundry.

Microwave Ovens 

You probably expect large kitchen appliances such as your fridge, freezer, range and dishwasher to draw a lot of power. But if they’re new and efficiency-rated, they probably use less electricity than you think: The average fridge bought today in the U.S. uses 75% less energy than an average 1975 fridge, despite being 60% cheaper and 20% bigger. The real drain in your kitchen is probably your microwave, which draws phantom power when you’re not using it. New standards that will come into effect next year will make microwave ovens less wasteful; in the meantime, you can choose to unplug yours if you use it rarely.

Device Chargers 

Personal devices that run on batteries, such as smartphones, tablets and laptops, often have inefficient chargers. One report from the Digital Power Group recently claimed that an iPhone uses more power in battery charging, Wi-Fi connectivity and data use than a mid-sized efficient refrigerator. Unfortunately, there’s no clear way to reduce this cost, but you can research the efficiency of your particular devices and go from there.

 Did any of these surprise you? What other changes in the home can contribute to energy conservation? Discuss in the comments.