24 ways to save energy today

Looking to reduce your energy bills? It's best to take it day by day. There are 24 hours in a day. Make the most of those hours with these 24 simple ways to reduce your daily energy use.

Morning

1. Take a shorter shower. A hot shower is a great way to start your day but keep it to 10 minutes or less.
2. Turn off the water tap when brushing your teeth or shaving.
3. When heating breakfast, use an energy-efficient microwave or toaster oven.
4. Turn off lights and electronic devices when you leave for the day to avoid wasting energy.
5. Adjust the thermostat. Don't waste energy keeping your unoccupied house comfortable.

Afternoon

1. If you're at home and the temperature is right, open your windows. Shut off the air conditioning and stay cool for free.
2. On hot days, run ceiling fans in occupied rooms. The extra airflow makes you feel cooler, allowing you to use less air conditioning.
3. Use window treatments. In winter, open window treatments to let warming sunlight in. In summer, close them on south- and west-facing windows to block heat gain.

Dinnertime

1. Match the size of pots and pans to the size of the burner so that more heat goes into the cookware and less into the air.
2. Keep lids on pots and pans to reduce energy waste and help food cook faster.
3. Use glass and ceramic cookware if possible; they retain heat better than metal.

After dinner chores

1. Scrape dishes instead of rinsing them before loading them into the dishwasher. Only run the dishwasher if it's full.
2. If doing laundry, use the cold setting to reduce water heating energy use.
3. Clean the dryer lint trap before each load to help improve dryer performance and efficiency.
4. Hang your clothes out to dry. Skip the dryer and use clothing racks to air dry your clothes.
5. Inspect your furnace filter and replace it if it's dirty. A dirty filter reduces system performance.
6. Check your water heater temperature and adjust it if needed. It should be no higher than 120°F.

Evening

1. Dim the lights. Turning down the lights helps create a cozy evening atmosphere and saves energy.
2. While watching TV, reduce the contrast or picture control (brightness) to cut energy use nearly in half.
3. Turn off overhead lights and use lower-power task lighting for reading, sewing and other tasks.
4. Don't waste energy holding the fridge door open while choosing your evening snack. Open the door, get what you want and close it quickly.

Bedtime

1. Make sure all lights are turned off before you turn in. Check areas such as laundry rooms, closets, workrooms and outdoors.
2. Turn off or cut power to the TV or other electronic devices that aren't in use.
3. Adjust your thermostat a few degrees to save energy and stay comfortable while you sleep.

With these routine changes, you can reduce your household energy use today and every day.