According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the typical U.S. family spends more than $1,600 a year on home utility bills. Much of that energy is often wasted. Fortunately, there are simple steps homeowners can take to conserve energy—which don’t have to be expensive:

• Turn off unneeded lights, unplug electronics not in use, and set the thermostat higher in summer and lower in winter when you leave the house or go to sleep at night.
• Reduce air leakage. Check for leaks around doors and windows, outlet covers, pipes and vents. With a little bit of caulk, some weather stripping, and a little elbow grease, you could see significant, immediate reductions in heating and cooling costs.
• Purchase ENERGY STAR^®-qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs. Not only do they use 66% less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, they also typically last ten times as long.
• Always buy consumer electronics, appliances and other products with the ENERGY STAR label. Only products in the top 25% in their class for energy efficiency are awarded the ENERGY STAR rating.
• Buy a programmable thermostat so you can program your home to automatically adjust the temperature higher in summer and lower in winter when you go out—or go to bed at night.
• Keep in mind that a shaded home uses less energy than one in the sun, especially in the summer. Think about planting trees to the south, east, and west of your home. And keep your air conditioning compressor in the shade.