Always use cold-water rinse.

Ensure refrigerator door seals are tight.

Unplug unused refrigerators or freezers. Recycle them if you do not need them.

Make sure electric blankets are turned off in the morning.

Turn off unnecessary lighting.

Make sure heat tape is off when not needed.

Drain 1-2 gallons from bottom of water heater each year to reduce sediment build up.

Don’t let the water run while you are shaving or brushing your teeth.

Use cold water for garbage disposal.

Change HVAC air filters monthly.

Install water saving shower heads.

Turn off pool pumps and heaters when not needed.

Turn off bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans 15 minutes after the job is complete or install 15 minute timers on bathroom ventilator fans.

Ensure your outdoor heat pump/air conditioning unit is kept clean and free of debris.

If you don’t unplug them, use energy-saving modes or automatic sleep functions on electronics.

Use dishwasher’s air-dry cycle instead of the heat-dry cycle to dry dishes.

Make sure outside soffit vents are not blocked.

Use fixtures with electronic ballasts and T-8, 32 Watt fluorescent lamps.

Use refrigerator’s anti-sweat feature only if necessary.

Minimize use of electric space heaters, except for limited or temporary spot heating.  Turn space heaters off when leaving the room.

Turn off coffee makers when not in use.

Close shades and drapes during the day to help keep heat out in summer.

Ensure all new appliances, electronics and lights are ENERGY STAR® labeled.

Clean dryer’s lint trap before each load.

Verify dryer vent hose is tightly connected to the inside wall fitting.

Turn computers and monitors off when not in use.

Make sure drapes and shades are open during the day to catch free solar heat in winter.

If rinsing dirty dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, do so with cold water.  

Consider using a “solar-powered” clothes dryer: an old fashioned clothes line.

Use outdoor security lights with a photocell and/or a motion sensor.

Remember to use the kitchen exhaust fan when cooking.  Turn it off after cooking.

Dry consecutive loads to harvest heat remaining in dryer from last load.

Seal electric wall outlets and wall switches with foam pads.

Make sure dryer vent hose is not kinked or clogged.

Use microwave for cooking when possible.

When using the fireplace, open the outside air vent (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly.

Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade on the east, south and west sides of your home. Evergreen trees and shrubs can provide a windbreak on the north side.

Switch your refrigerator’s power-saver feature to “ON,” if available.

Plug electronic devices such as cable boxes, printers and TVs into power strips to turn off during vacations or long periods without use.

Minimize clothes drying time by using an auto moisture sensor, if available.

Caulk electrical wire penetrations at the top of the interior walls in the attic.

In hot weather, avoid running the dryer during the heat of the day.

Outside your home, caulk around all penetrations including telephone, electrical, cable, gas, water spigots, dryer vents, etc.

If not frost-free, regularly defrost refrigerator or freezer to avoid ice buildup.

Caulk around plumbing penetrations that come through walls beneath bathroom and kitchen sinks.

Install a programmable thermostat to save even more.

When buying a new computer, select an ENERGY STAR® model.  Consider buying a laptop as it uses less energy than a comparable desktop.  

Do not close supply air registers.

Install heat traps on hot and cold water lines when it’s time to replace your water heater.

Clean refrigerator coils annually.

When installing new air filters, make sure they are facing in the correct direction (look for arrow on side of filter).

Only run dishwasher when fully loaded.  

Only do full laundry loads.

Monitor your home’s relative humidity in the summer.  If it consistently stays in the 60 percent range or higher, ask your HVAC technician about lowering your central air conditioning unit’s indoor fan speed.

Install a water heater wrap, also known as a water heater blanket, per manufacturer’s instructions.

Limit shower length to 5-7 minutes.

Use bath towels at least twice before washing them.

Make sure the dryer’s outdoor exhaust door is not blocked or clogged.

If you are heating water on the stove, use hot tap water instead of cold.

Ensure floor registers are not blocked with rugs, drapes or furniture.

Keep your garage door down.  A warmer garage in the winter and cooler garage in the summer will save energy.

Enable auto power down feature on gaming consoles.  

Insulate exposed hot water lines.

Set water heater temperature no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Check that the dryer vent hose is tightly connected to dryer.

For households with 1 or 2 members, a 115 degree Fahrenheit setting may work fine.  

Replace any light bulb, especially ones that are on more than one hour per day, with a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb.  

Turn off stereos and radios when not in use.

Unplug battery chargers when not needed.

Check for energy saving settings on flat-panel TVs like automatic brightness control and a power saving sleep mode.  

When heating or cooling, keep windows shut and locked.

Remove and clean window A/C filter monthly.

Caulk along baseboards with a clear sealant.

Keep fireplace dampers closed unless a fire is burning.

If you must do smaller loads, adjust the water level in the washing machine to match the load size, especially when using hot water.

Ensure windows and doors are properly weather-stripped and use door sweeps.

Wash clothes in cold water. Use hot water only for very dirty loads.

Caulk around storm windows and basement windows.

Turn off ceiling fans when leaving the room. Fans cool people, not rooms.

Keep “fresh-air” vents on window A/C units closed.

When using the fireplace, turn down your heating system thermostat.

Ensure window A/C units are weather-stripped. Remove the unit in the winter and close and lock the window.

Ensure attic access door closes tightly and is insulated.

Make sure insulation in your attic does not block soffit vents.

Turn large-screen TVs off completely when not in use.

Use a slow-cooker instead of simmering foods on the stove.

Do not close off unused rooms that are conditioned by forced-air systems.

Fix dripping faucets.

Use heavy-duty, clear sheets of plastic sealed tightly on the inside of windows to reduce the amount of cold air entering your home during the winter.

Verify livestock water tank heaters are off when not needed.

Set the refrigerator temperature to 34 – 37 degrees Fahrenheit and freezer temperature to 0 – 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Do not use roof-top power ventilators for attic exhaust as they may draw conditioned air from your home.

Run ceiling paddle fans on medium, blowing down in summer and paddle fans on low, blowing up in winter.

Check to be sure return air grilles are not blocked by furniture or bookcases.

Set thermostats to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, 68 degrees Fahrenheit in winter.

Close shades and drapes at night to keep heat in during the winter.

Request an ENERGY STAR® set-top box from cable or satellite provider.

When cooking on the oven range, use pot lids to help food cook faster.  

Have your HVAC system serviced once per year by a NATE-certified technician.

Replace outdoor lighting with its equivalent outdoor-rated LED bulb. LEDs work well in cold weather.