It takes a lot of electricity to power all the systems, appliances, lights and electronic devices in your home, and all that energy consumption adds up to a lot of money in monthly bills. By being smart about electricity saving you will also be saving money and reducing environmental pollutants.

Heating and air conditioning systems require a lot of electricity so regulating and maintaining these systems is critical to energy and money savings. By installing a programmable thermostat homeowners are able to control the heat and air conditioning based on when the home is occupied. The device allows for pre-set temperatures to be maintained throughout the day to accommodate the household’s schedule.

Adjusting the internal temperature in your home year-round will also assist you in saving electricity. These types of small changes may seem insignificant but can add up to real savings over a period of years. Experiment during the coldest and hottest days of the year to find a comfortable temperature that is a few degrees warmer or cooler than normal. You will soon find that you will adapt to a lower temperature in the winter and a warmer one in the summer.

Using ceiling fans, portable fans and space heaters may also be an economical option to help save electricity at home and keep you comfortable. If you have rooms in your home that are not regularly used, consider closing them off to avoid heating and cooling areas unnecessarily. If your home has working fireplaces that you use on cold winter nights, make sure it is working properly and that you always close the damper when not in use. A lot of heat is actually lost through fireplace flues so if you do use your fireplace.

Make sure that you service your heating and air conditioning units seasonally to ensure that they are operating at peak efficiency. Replace filters often and check to see that no tall weeds, grass or other debris is interfering with the air conditioning compressor.

Lighting is another large source of electricity use. Getting in the simple habit of turning off lights when not needed will save electricity both in lighting and cooling costs. To save even more replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient alternatives like LED light bulbs or compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFL’s). Energy efficient light bulbs such as these require far less electricity to produce the same amount of light and last longer saving replacement costs. Use reading lights and other task lighting whenever possible rather than turning on overhead lights that illuminate an entire room.

Appliances and electronic devices present another opportunity for electricity saving. Make sure appliances are properly maintained and when purchasing new products look for ones that are energy efficient. Be aware of how often you open the refrigerator and use the washing machine, clothes dryer and dishwasher sparingly, only for full loads. Electronic devices like gaming systems, televisions and personal computers use electricity even when they are turned off. By connecting these devices to a power strip that can be turned off or unplugging them when not in use you can increase your electricity saving.

If you decide to switch energy companies see if there is deregulation in your state. Shopping for electric prices