Energy Efficiency

You need your refrigerator to keep food cold and fresh, but buying a new unit is expensive. How can you tell when it time to replace it? Consider an upgrade if you see these telltale signs of trouble.

1. Your food is going bad

Are you having to deal with a lot of sour milk or wilted lettuce? If food spoils before the expiration date or beverages take a long time to get cold, it could be a sign that your older unit has subpar power. Check the temperature setting on your unit to make sure it's cold enough. If that looks okay, consider an upgrade.

Does hand washing dishes use less water and energy than a dishwasher?

It's widely believed that dishwashers are convenient but use more water and energy than hand washing. In fact, hand washing a load of dishes uses about 27 gallons of water, while using an ENERGY STAR®-rated dishwasher can use as little as 3 gallons.

Space heating is critical for winter comfort, but it's also the biggest energy user in homes nationwide. Despite this, a lot of households have some bad habits when it comes to heating and energy use, according to a recent U.S. Department of Energy survey. The survey found that:

Space heating is the largest energy user in many homes. Although it's important to weatherize your home and have your heating system inspected by a qualified professional at the beginning of the season, you shouldn't stop there. There are a number of things you can do throughout the winter to save money and improve the comfort of you and your family.

The holidays are a great time for having fun with friends and family, but the extra energy costs can cause a real post-season letdown. With these easy money-saving tips, you can enjoy lower energy bills this holiday season and into the new year.

Thanksgiving meals are an important part of the celebrations you share with family and friends. All of that extra cooking and baking, however, can lead to a real post-season letdown after you see the added cost on your energy bill. These simple, cost-saving tips will help you enjoy the festivities while trimming your energy budget.

Little bits of energy waste add up, so making sure all the systems in your home are working at peak efficiency matters:

That little dehumidifier tucked away in your basement is great for pulling moisture out of the air and combating the growth of mold and mildew, but it uses more energy than you might think.

One study found the average annual energy use of a typical dehumidifier is 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) — more than $100 a year at the current national average electricity rate. Fortunately, there are things you can do to control humidity without drying up your energy budget.

Hopefully, living in a charming old house gives you a warm feeling inside, because those cold winter winds rattling through it certainly won't. Fortunately, there are a variety of updates you can make to your home that will add some modern comfort and efficiency while keeping that old-house charm.

Switch to LED lighting

The fastest way to brighten your home and your energy budget is to switch to LED lighting. LEDs use far less energy than conventional bulbs and they last much longer.