· Put your Computer to Sleep: Save $75 or more a year using the standby or hibernating feature on your computer.
· Wash in Cold Water: You can save about $60 per year. Tide 2X Ultra for Cold Water is a top performer in Consumer Reports testing for conventional top-loading washers.
· Give your Dryer a Rest: Consider line-drying when it’s warm outside. Also, avoid overloading the dryer which extends the dry cycle.
· Stop Pre-rinsing Dishes: Unlike our mother’s dishwashers, chances are yours is made a bit tougher. Consumer Reports testing shows that scraping the food off the dishes is enough clean up. Doing this can save you up to 6,500 gallons of water per year and about $75 in hot-water costs.
· Clean the Refrigerator: Check the door seals for damage and wipe them clean to help prevent leaks. Use the appliance brush to defuzz the coils behind and beneath the fridge. Oh, the dust bunnies you’ll find!!!
· Unplug Video Games: Turning them off an unplugging them when they aren’t being used saves about $125 per year.
· Cover Your Water Heater: Simply putting a water-heater blanket around the tank helps keep the heat inside, especially if it’s in a cold basement or garage.
· Insulate and Seal Ducts: Doing both can cut annual heating AND cooling costs by 30%.
· Upgrade your Toilet: Low-flow toilets can save about 4,000 gallons of water a year by using 1.6 gallons or less of water per flush, compared to the 8 gallons the older models use. Check for small leaks by simply putting food coloring in your tank. As well, the rubber pieces of the guts in the tank can degrade over time. Regularly changing out the guts on a regular basis can prevent leaks.
· Move your Thermostat: Having it installed on an inside wall away from windows and doors keeps any drafts from making the heating system kick on unnecessarily.
· Change Your Showerhead: Installing a high-efficiency showerhead slashes hot-water use by up to 50%.
· Light with CFLs: Simply switching 10 of your most-used bulbs to CFLs saves about $60 per year in electricity costs.
· String LED Holiday Lights: They last longer than incandescent lights and are cool to the touch which makes them safer regarding fire hazards.
A lot of small changes can add up so don’t turn your nose up at some of these small ideas.
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