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• Block the sun.  Inside your home keep blinds, shades and drapes closed during the summer.  White window shades, blinds and drapes reflect heat away from the house.  In the winter, open window shades, blinds and drapes during the day on windows facing south, then close the shades, blinds and drapes at night to retain the heat. *

• Unplug the vampires.  5 percent of our residential energy use comes from stand-by power.  Plug televisions, computers, VCRs and DVD players into a power strip and turn the power strip off when not in use. ***

• Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher in the summer and 68 degrees or lower in the winter.  You can save 3%- 5% for every degree you set your thermostat above 78 in the summer or below 68 in the winter. **

• Use ceiling fans.  A newer ceiling fan uses no more power than a light bulb and allows you to raise your thermostat 4 degrees without lowering your level of comfort.  Just remember to turn the fan off when you leave the room; ceiling fans cool people but do not actually lower the temperature of the room.*

• Change your air filter(s) monthly.  A clean filter allows your heating and cooling system to run more efficiently.

• Keep your heating and cooling system running efficiently by having it professionally serviced.  Have an older system?  Consider upgrading to a heat pump with a minimum 13 seer rating.  Highly efficient heat pumps can save you up to $500 per year!  Georgia Power offers rebates to customers who upgrade their systems.  Contact Georgia Power for more information. **

• Weatherproof your home.  Make sure that your heating and cooling system duct work is sealed properly.  Also, caulk gaps around windows and doors and replace any weather-stripping that is peeling or cracked.  To find gaps around windows and doors, hold a lit candle near the window on a windy day. *

• Adjust the water level in your washing machine according to the size of the load.  Modern detergents work well with cold water and using cold water instead of hot can save you 40 cents per load. * 

• Do several loads of laundry at a time.  A warm dryer uses less energy so if you do several loads at a time, the dryer won’t be completely cooled when it is time to dry the next load. * 

• Clean your dryer lint filter.  Keeping the filter clean helps your dryer operate more efficiently.  Also, use the automatic sensor setting if your dryer has one.  The sensor will automatically shut your dryer off when the clothes are dry.

• Protect your water heater.  Wrapping your hot water heater in a protective cover, sold at most hardware stores, can save you up to 15% off the cost of heating water. * Just make sure that covering your water heater does not violate the warranty. **

• Reheat leftovers in a microwave or toaster oven.  Microwaves and toaster ovens use up to 30% less energy than a conventional oven. *

• Change your light bulbs.  Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) use 75% less energy than regular light bulbs and can actually save you money on cooling costs because they give off less heat than regular light bulbs.  They also last 10 times longer than regular light bulbs! ***

• Don’t pre-rinse your dishes. Using hot water to pre-rinse your dishes uses more electricity because your hot water heater must heat up not only the water for the dishwasher but also the water to pre-rinse the dishes.  Also, save even more electricity by opening the dishwasher once the cycle is finished and let the dishes air dry.

• Turn off your water heater.  When going on an extended trip, consider turning off your water heater.  You’ll save electricity by not heating water when no one is there to use it. *

• Use outdoor lighting with motion sensors.  Lights that only come on occasionally use less energy than lights that are on constantly.

• Defrost your freezer.  Defrosting your freezer regularly helps it to run more efficiently and saves you energy costs.

• Consider upgrading your appliances.  Energy Star appliances use 10-50% less energy than other appliances. ***

• Increase your insulation.  Georgia Power recommends a minimum of R-30 insulation for your attic, R-19 for the floors and R-13 for walls. **

• Consider new windows.  Double paned or storm windows can reduce your heating and cooling costs by reducing the amount of air that escapes your home. **

* Progress Energy, www.progress-energy.com

** Georgia Power, www.georgiapower.com

*** Energy Star www.energystar.gov