Society has become more aware of conservation issues in our country. There are several ways we can help conserve in our homes and our communities. We can regulate energy usage in our homes by being aware of our surroundings.

The first step to making your home energy efficient is to determine which parts of the house use the most energy and where you are unknowingly wasting valuable energy. You can conduct a simple energy audit yourself, have your local utility company do it or call a professional for a comprehensive examination.

If you choose to do it on your own here are some things your should look for:

• Locate any air leaks (drafts) by checking obvious places such as windows, doors and baseboards. Look for gaps around pipes and wires, electrical outlets, foundation seals and mail drops. Check your homes weather stripping and caulking to see if it is in proper condition. On the outside of your house check exterior corners; where siding and chimneys meet; and areas where the brick or siding meets. Look for cracks and holes in mortar, foundation and siding, and repair with proper material. Inspect the caulking around the outside of doors and windows.

• Check the insulation levels in your home. Heat loss could be a big problem if you don’t have the proper amount of insulation in your walls, ceiling and attic or if the insulation is less than recommended. To check the walls you will need to select an exterior wall and turn off the electric outlets while you unscrew one from the wall to determine the thickness and amount of insulation. If your basement is unheated determine whether there is insulation under the living room floor area. In most areas of the country the recommended insulation level is R-25.

• Inspect the heating and cooling equipment in your home. You should actually do this type of inspection annually or as recommended by the manufacturer. Replace furnace filters regularly and have a professional check and clean your equipment once a year. Check your ductwork for dirt streaks, especially near seams because these types of traces could air leaks and should be sealed with a duct mask.

• Examine your household lighting, which accounts for 10% of the electric bill. Look at your light bulb wattage and make sure you don’t have 100-watt bulbs where 60 or 75-watt bulbs will do. Compact fluorescent lamps can help conserve electricity especially for areas where lights are on hours at a time.

A major factor of energy consumption in your home is appliances, which are typically essential for maintaining your household. Appliances account for almost 20% of the energy consumption in our houses. Large appliances such as refrigerators, washing machines and dryers consume the most energy. Newer appliance models are more energy efficient than the ones from 10 or 20 years ago. Investing in a newer model of appliance can help save water, energy and operating costs.

Refrigerators

Refrigerators use more energy than any other appliance, because this is the case, consumers should shop wisely when buying a refrigerator. Look for trustworthy brands and research the model to make sure it has an energy efficiency seal. It will payoff if you keep up on the maintenance of older fridges, this includes regular cleaning and replacing coils, replacing seals and coolant. Replacing coolant can save large amounts of energy because it brings the refrigerators temperature down to the “cold” area. Repair and regular maintenance may require a repairperson, but it will be well worth the money in the long run.

Stoves and Ovens

An oven or range should always be installed away from the refrigerator because the heat will make the fridge have to work harder to stay cool. There should always be a range hood that properly ventilates to the outside of the house. Do not use a hood that recirculates and filters fumes because it using more energy and is not always safe especially with gas ranges.

When using a fan you need to make sure it is the proper size because fans that are too large waste energy and can cause combustion gases to back-draft into the house. Large downdraft ventilation fans tend to have this problem, so make-up air ducts are available for these models; check with your supplier.

Air Conditioners

The most important aspect of keeping your air conditioner energy efficient is the proper repair and maintenance. This is works well for older models as well. Regular cleaning and filter replacement keeps the wear and tear on the motor to a minimum thus lowering the electricity consumption, which saves you money.

Washing Machines

Heating the water for washing clothes requires the most energy. Water use is a growing concern—and costs more—in many communities, reducing the water used in the clothes washer saves water, energy and money. Buying washers that use less water will help with energy and water conservation.

Traditional top-loading washers are the least expensive to buy, but most expensive to operate. They require more water and more electricity.

Front-loading models are usually the most expensive, and the most efficient to operate. Front-loading machines use a horizontal, tumble-axis basket to lift and drop clothing into the water instead of rubbing clothes around a central agitator. The tumble action reduces wear and tear on fabrics. These washing machines use less water, which also lowers heating costs.

Dryers

Washers and dryers consume large amounts of energy. In order to conserve energy consumption and save you money you should make sure your dryer is located in a heated space so it doesn’t have to work as hard. Another tip is to vent the dryer properly by using the straightest and shortest metal duct available. Flexible vinyl, aluminum and plastic ducts should be avoided because they can pose a fire hazard from sagging or clogging with lint. Ducts should be cleaned regularly (at least once a year). The outside dryer vent should close tightly and prevent the outside air from leaking inside. This vent should be checked periodically to make sure it is in working order. If air is leaking inside the house then energy and heat is getting wasted therefore costing you money.

After you have reviewed the areas of your house that are mentioned above and determined the repairs needed to make your home more energy efficient then you can test your audit and see if your precautions and repairs make a difference on your utility bills. If you see a significant difference you will know you have taken the proper measures and saved money in the process. If there is not a difference then you can decide whether or not to schedule a professional audit.

Saving money and conserving energy at the same time is a benefit for any person or household. Educating yourself and your family about energy conservation is an essential step to making your home more energy efficient. Do regular energy audits on your house and keep your appliances up-to-date, cleaned and repaired. In today’s economy saving money can be a big step to helping your family survive financially. Know your options and take the time to make sure you live in energy efficient home.