There are many no-cost and low-cost ways of reducing electric bills. Many of these methods can be completed on a Saturday morning and then give you years of savings. As the price of oil rises so will our electric bills, so combine as many of these methods as possible for the greatest reduction in your electric bill. The list is broken down room by room. The outside of the house is at the end of the list.

Kitchen

The kitchen can be an energy hog with so many electric appliances so we will start with them.

• Refrigerators are at 40 degrees or colder. Check the gaskets around the freezer compartment and the refrigerated compartment for a tight seal. Replace any that are damaged or do not fit tightly. In addition to reducing the electric bill, this will also increase the life of your refrigerator by reducing the strain on the compressor. It is also important to clean the coils every month or two. Most newer refrigerators slide out easily so vacuuming the coils is not the chore that it used to be.
  
• Cover food immediately but allow it to cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge. When hot food is placed in the refrigerator the compressor has to work overtime to cool it.
• Unplug appliances that are not in use. The electronic ones create a continual drain of power.
  
• Run the dishwasher only when there is a full load. Turn it off at the end of the wash cycle and slide out the trays to air dry. Air drying is actually faster than electric drying as it only takes about 10 minutes.
• If you want to save even more money, then hand wash the dishes. This will allow you to reduce the temperature of the hot water heater to 110-115 degrees instead of paying for water that is 140-160 degrees just for one appliance that runs once a day.

If there is a window in the kitchen as well as on the kitchen door, caulk around them to create an air-tight seal. Hang heavier curtains during winter months to reduce the amount of heat loss.

When cooking, stove top meals use less electricity than heating the big oven as most stove top meals are cooked in 20 minutes or less. Ovens take 10-15 minutes just to heat up and then the cooking time is generally slower than preparing food on the top burners.

Slow cookers are NOT energy savers. They create a constant drain for 5-8 hours to cook one piece of meat that can be cooked in less than half of the time in a conventional oven. When preparing a meal that will take 2 or 3 hours, such as roast beef or stuffed chicken, it is better to cook several meals at one time in the large oven and then freeze them for future use.

Laundry/Utility Room

Pull out the lint tray of the dryer and, using the long skinny attachment on the vacuum cleaner, vacuum the inside front of the dryer underneath where the lint tray sits. This build up of fuzz occurs even if you empty the lint tray after every load. Keeping this area clean will increase the efficiency of the dryer so your clothes will get drier in a shorter amount of time.

If you have the ability to hang a clothesline for smaller items, it will save many loads in the dryer and significantly reduce the electric bill. Then just use the dryer for heavy towels and blankets.

The washing machine will use the same amount of electricity whether you are washing a small load or a large one. Washing only large loads of laundry will contribute to reducing electric bills.

Install an inexpensive timer on the hot water heater so that it will not be heating water all day when no one is at home. Today's water heaters have a quick recovery time so if the timer is set to start heating the water 30 minutes before you return home, then you can start right in with your daily routine. When installing the timer, reduce the temperature of the water to the least amount that will satisfy your needs. Also, if the hot water heater is kept in an unheated or uninsulated basement, buy an inexpensive wrap to prevent heat loss to the surrounding cold air. Combine these three methods --- install the timer, reduce the temperature, wrap the hot water heater --- for the most savings.

Many basement laundry rooms have bare cement floors and no insulation on the walls. This is a more expensive problem to tackle but it can be done in stages as each paycheck permits. Also, caulk around the windows and hang heavier fabric drapes during colder weather.

Have the heater serviced just before the colder weather starts. It will work more efficiently when it has yearly maintenance.

Living/Dining/Family Rooms

Caulk around all windows and hang two tiers of drapes. The liner will help to seal the window area to prevent either heat loss or air conditioning loss. Hanging an inner drape will create an air pocket between the two fabrics that will be a buffer between different temperatures similar to the multiple panes in storm windows.

Although many people recommend lowering the thermostat as a way of reducing electric bills, I do not recommend it. The home should be a place of comfort and joy. Warmth is part of that comfort. Rather, take steps to keep your home warm (or cool in summer) by following these suggestions:

• There is a significant amount of heat loss through the ceilings of the floor that is directly below the attic. Insulate the attic and it will not draw heat from the lower floor.  This is also true in the summer.  Air conditioning is drawn up into the hot attic.
  
• There is also a significant amount of heat loss through the floor that is above an unheated basement. Finishing a basement can cost thousands of dollars. However, it may be possible to insulate the ceiling area of the basement. For those on a tight budget, this work can be done over a period of time. The benefits will last for many years.
• Install quality storm windows that have multiple panes for energy efficiency. Glass by itself has no insulating properties (it is the air pockets trapped between the panes that insulates) so buy as many panes as you can afford even if you only replace one or two windows each year.
• Attach weather stripping on all exterior doors. If you can see light coming into the house, then heat or air conditioning is going to the outside.
  
• Use ceiling fans year round. Reverse the direction in the winter to pull heat away from the ceiling and down into the living area.
• In colder climates, room rugs or wall-to-wall carpeting with a thick underlay will help to insulate the floor area. Wool rugs stay warmer than many other fabrics.
• Vacuum the heat and air conditioning vents once or twice a year.  Take off the grill and clean as far into the vent as possible.  Also, vacuum the return air handler grill weekly to prevent dust and allergens from getting into the system.
  

Outside The Home

Plant trees or a tall hedge to act as a windbreak in colder areas. In warmer climates, trees can help to shade the roof and reduce the demand on the air conditioner.

Clean the air conditioner at the beginning of the summer season and once a month during hot weather. Consider planting a tall hedge or tree to shade the compressor. However, be careful to choose a species whose roots will not damage the foundation of your home.