Power saving tips can be found almost anywhere online. Many power companies post these tips on their websites as a courtesy to their clients. The US Department of Energy also publishes free guidelines that you can find through any search inquiry.

The purpose of this article is to list some of the more basic things that can be done by anyone at any time. Most of these tips are so simple they take only seconds to do. However, neglecting to overlook only a few could possibly cost you hundreds of dollars per year.

Power is something that always costs money, not matter how much or how little we use. When we can pinpoint areas in our homes where we do not need to operate as much power-or even no power at all-we will automatically see a reduction in expenditures and find money staying in our pockets rather than leaving.

Simple power saving tips include the following:
– Have a programmable thermostat installed in your house to more tightly control heating and cooling.

– Use your dishwasher to air dry your dishes instead of using the heat dry feature built into the unit.

– Plug all home electronic devices such as DVD players, computers, and TVs into your home into power strips. Even when off, these appliances will drain power from the wall if plugged directly into sockets. Killing the switch on a power strip stops this drain.

Some other steps to take require going through your home room-by-room to implement changes to its structure and energy usage activities. Some of these power savings tips are easy for the do-it-yourselfer.

Others may require the services of a professional. Consider a residential energy audit as a preliminary to any advanced energy saving upgrades to your home. Many auditors can also implement repairs to problem areas immediately upon discovery.

In the meantime, simply keep the following things in mind as guidelines as you move through your home conducting your own energy-saving self checks.

First, check insulation, caulking, and your HVAC duct system. This is something of a fundamental to any list of power saving tips. Insulation and caulking are essential sealing off your home from the outside air.

Without an air tight home, so to speak, you will lose cool air in the summer and warm air in the winter. If you are able to replace insulation and recaulk your home yourself, do so. If not, there are service contractors for affordable rates in your area who can help you with this.

Use energy star appliances in your kitchen, and consolidate your activities. For example, if you are cooking, cook several things in the oven at once. Use the dishwasher only when you have a full load.

Throw away old food from the refrigerator because old food actually requires more power to cool. Other power saving tips for the kitchen include using the microwave oven more than the regular oven and cooling hot foods on the counter before putting them into the refrigerator.

Most people like power saving tips on lighting because they are easy to do yourself so long as you do not have to rewire anything. Thankfully, most energy efficient upgrades require only bulb changes now.

For example, new 50-watt halogen recessed lighting bulbs can now outperform 75 or 100 watt incandescent recessed lighting bulbs and save up to 50 percent the energy in some cases. Fluorescent lights and low-voltage lights should also be used as much as possible.

Author Bio: The MXenergy Wizard site is an MXenergy initiative. For more information on mxenergy as well as electricity plans visit us online.

Category: Home Management
Keywords: Saving Power, Power Companies, Energy, Residential Energy Audit, Energy Audit, Energy Saving