Residents: Conserving Energy

Great ideas for saving energy and money

From adjusting in your behavior to replacing old equipment, there are endless ways you can decrease both your energy bills and your environmental impact.

  1. Shift your behavior
  2. Invest in your home
  3. Go green with renewables
  4. Rent and save

Shift your behavior

Whether you own or rent your home, there are plenty of ways to shift your behavior to save energy and money, all while maintaining your home’s comfort. 

Manage your thermostat

You probably already turn off the lights when you leave home, but do you also adjust your thermostat? According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can save as much as 10% on your heating and cooling bills each year simply by turning your thermostat back 7–10°F from its normal setting for eight hours a day.

Curtain savings

Whether you’re in the heat of summer or the depths of a polar vortex, use your curtains strategically to keep your home comfortable. Look for thermal insulated curtains to prevent air from entering or escaping through your window.

  • In the summer, close curtains during the day to block some of the sun’s heat — especially windows on the south and east sides of your home.
  • In the winter, open curtains during the day to usher in the sun’s warmth. Make sure to close them at night to reduce heat loss.

Heating tips

Heat a smaller area to stay warmer and save energy! You can close heating vents in unused rooms or, if you have a zoned home, turn off the heat in some areas.

Lighting tour

Replace traditional light bulbs with LEDs to save on lighting energy use. Think about which lights you use most often and replace those bulbs first!

Put a lid on it

Put a lid on pots and pans when cooking to save energy by heating food faster.

Hang it out to dry

Reduce your machine dryer energy use by hanging laundry out to dry — you can hang laundry outside when the weather is nice or indoors year-round.

Learn more!

Learn more ways to save money and energy at home!

Tips from Xcel Energy

Don’t know where to start?

Sign up for a Home Energy Squad® visit to jump-start your savings and learn more about how to make your home more efficient.

Home Energy Squad

651-328-6220