The Lazy Guide to Cutting Your Home Energy Costs — 6 Simple Things You Can Start Doing Today

You don’t need a contractor or a loan to lower your monthly bills. While major repairs like installing solar panels or replacing windows get all the headlines, they also require large upfront investments that take decades to pay off.

The truth is that most energy waste in the average home comes from small inefficiencies and automatic settings that work against you.

By making a few tweaks that require almost no physical effort or professional skills, you can save hundreds of dollars in your pocket every year.

1. Wash clothes in cold water

For decades we were taught that hot water is necessary to get clothes really clean. That is no longer true. Modern detergents are enzymatic, meaning they are designed to work effectively in cold water.

According to Energy Star, about 90% of the energy your washing machine uses goes solely to heating the water. By changing your dial to cold, you eliminate those costs entirely and lower your energy bill.

Unless you’re dealing with oil-based stains or sick bed linens, cold water cleans equally well and preserves fabrics for a long time, preventing fading and shrinking caused by hot water.

2. Lower the water heating temperature

Most water heater manufacturers set their thermostats to a setting of 140 degrees Fahrenheit. This is often hotter than most homes need and poses a risk of heatstroke. It also means your heater is working overtime to maintain the temperature you might be mixing with cold water anyway before it hits your skin.

The Department of Energy recommends lowering the temperature to 120 degrees. This simple maintenance reduces mineral build-up and corrosion in your tank and can save you up to $61 a year in pending heat loss.

You won’t notice the difference in your morning shower, but you will notice it in your bill.

3. Clean your fridge coils

Your refrigerator is one of the few appliances that runs 24 hours a day, making it a significant contributor to your energy bills. If the condenser coils – usually located on the bottom or back of the unit – are full of dust and pet hair, the fridge has to work harder to release heat.

Dirty coils force the compressor to run longer and hotter, which increases energy consumption and shortens the life of the machine.

Once or twice a year, take a few minutes to tap these coils. It’s a five-minute job that ensures your most expensive kitchen appliance is running smoothly.

4. Adjust your thermostat by one degree

You don’t have to freeze in the winter or sweat in the summer to see the savings. Temperature control logic is increasing. For every degree you adjust your thermostat back to its normal setting, you can save about 1% to 3% on your heating or cooling bills.

If you normally heat your home to 72 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter, try 71. You won’t physically feel the difference, but over the course of a month, that small change can significantly reduce the workload on your HVAC system. If you have a programmable thermostat, make sure it’s set to match your schedule so you don’t heat up an empty house.

5. Let your dishes dry

The hot dry cycle in your dishwasher uses a significant amount of electricity to bake moisture into your dishes. In most cases, it is not necessary. The residual heat from the wash cycle is often enough to dry porcelain and glass if you simply open the door a crack when the cycle is over.

Most modern dishwashers have an air dry setting or an energy saver that does this automatically. If yours isn’t working, simply turning off the dry heat function and letting nature do the rest reduces your dishwasher’s energy use by about 15%.

6. Change your HVAC filters regularly

This is a maintenance task that is often overlooked because the filter is hidden in a cabinet or ceiling. However, a clogged air filter is a waste of money. If the filter is full of dust, your air conditioner has to work harder to push air through the system.

This increased complexity raises your energy consumption and can lead to premature system failure. Replacing a dirty filter with a clean one can reduce your air conditioner’s energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

Buy a pack of filters at once and set a regular reminder on your phone so you never have to worry about missing them.