Did you know that the typical U.S. family spends close to $1,300 a year on their home's utility bills? Unfortunately, a large portion of that energy is wasted. The amount of energy wasted just through poorly insulated windows and doors is about as much energy as we get from the Alaskan pipeline each year.

Electricity generated by fossil fuels for a single home puts more carbon dioxide into the air than two average cars. By using a few inexpensive energy-efficient measures, you can reduce your energy bills by 10% to 50% and, at the same time, help reduce air pollution.

Beyond saving money, energy conservation is one of the easiest ways to help the environment.

In the summertime, the sun shining through your windows heats up the room. Windows with spectrally selective coatings on the glass reflect some of the sunlight, keeping your rooms cooler.

 Install white window shades, drapes, or blinds to reflect heat away from the house.

 Close curtains on south- and west-facing windows during the day.

 Apply sun-control or other reflective films on south-facing windows to reduce solar gain.

Energy Conservation Tips: Summer Time

Double-pane windows with low-e coating on the glass reflect heat back into the room during the winter months.

 Install exterior or interior storm windows; storm windows can reduce your heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50%. Storm windows should have weatherstripping at all moveable joints; be made of strong, durable materials; and have interlocking or overlapping joints. Low-e storm windows save even more energy.

 Repair and weatherize your current storm windows, if necessary.

 Install tight-fitting, insulating window shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.

 Close your curtains and shades at night; open them during the day.

 Keep windows on the south side of your house clean to maximize solar gain.

Appliances account for about 20% of your household's energy consumption, with refrigerators and clothes dryers at the top of the consumption list.

When you're shopping for appliances, you can think of two price tags. The first one covers the purchase price—think of it as a down payment. The second price tag is the cost of operating the appliance during its lifetime. You'll be paying on that second price tag every month with your utility bill for the next 10 to 20 years, depending on the appliance. Refrigerators last an average of 20 years; room air conditioners and dishwashers, about 10 years each; clothes washers, about 14 years.

What's the Real Cost?
Every appliance has two price tags — a purchase price and the operating cost.

When you do have to shop for a new appliance, look for the ENERGY STAR® label. ENERGY STAR® appliances have been identified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and DOE as being the most energy-efficient products in their classes. They usually exceed minimum federal standards by a substantial amount. The appliance shopping guide lists some of the major appliances that carry the ENERGY STAR® label and provides helpful information on what to look for when shopping for an appliance.

To help you figure out whether an appliance is energy efficient, the federal government requires most appliances to display the bright yellow and black EnergyGuide label. Although these labels will not tell you which appliance is the most efficient, they will tell you the annual energy consumption and operating cost for each appliance so you can compare them yourself.

How Much Electricity Do Appliances Use?
This chart shows how much energy a typical appliance uses per year and its corresponding cost based on national averages. For example, a refrigerator uses almost five times the electricity the average television uses.

Dishwashers

Most of the energy used by a dishwasher is for water heating. The EnergyGuide label estimates how much power is needed per year to run the appliance and to heat the water based on the yearly cost of gas and electric water heating. When it is time to buy a new unit, look for the ENERGY STAR® label.

Refrigerators

Refrigerator Choices
Refrigerators with the freezer on top are more efficient than those with freezers on the side.

The EnergyGuide label on new refrigerators will tell you how much electricity in kilowatt-hours (kWh) a particular model uses in one year. The smaller the number, the less energy the refrigerator uses and the less it will cost you to operate. In addition to the EnergyGuide label, don't forget to look for the ENERGY STAR® label. A new refrigerator with an ENERGY STAR® label will save you between $35 and $70 a year compared to the models designed 15 years ago. This adds up to between $525 and $1,050 during the average 15-year life of the unit.

Other Energy-Saving Kitchen Tips

Laundry

About 80% to 85% of the energy used for washing clothes is for heating the water. There are two ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes—use less water and use cooler water. Unless you're dealing with oily stains, the warm or cold water setting on your machine will generally do a good job of cleaning your clothes. Switching your temperature setting from hot to warm can cut a load's energy use in half.

When shopping for a new washer, look for an ENERGY STAR® machine. These machines may cost more to buy but uses about a third of the energy and less water than typical machines. You'll also save more on clothes drying, because most remove more water from your clothes during the spin cycle. Look for the ENERGY STAR® label (How to Read the EnergyGuide Label).

When shopping for a new clothes dryer, look for one with a moisture sensor that automatically shuts off the machine when your clothes are dry. Not only will this save energy, it will save wear and tear on your clothes caused by over-drying. Keep in mind that gas dryers are less expensive to operate than electric dryers. The cost of drying a typical load of laundry in an electric dryer is 30 to 40 cents compared to 15 to 25 cents in a gas dryer.

See the contact list for places to get more information on energy-efficient appliances.

Consider factors such as your climate, building design, and budget when selecting insulation R-value for your home.

Use higher density insulation, such as rigid foam boards, in cathedral ceilings and on exterior walls.

Ventilation plays a large role in providing moisture control and reducing summer cooling bills. Attic vents can be installed along the entire ceiling cavity to help ensure proper airflow from the soffit to the attic, helping to make a home more comfortable and energy efficient.

Recessed light fixtures can be a major source of heat loss, but you need to be careful how close you place insulation next to a fixture unless it is marked. "I.C."—designed for direct insulation contact. Check your local building codes for recommendations.

As specified on the product packaging, follow the product instructions on installation and wear the proper protective gear when installing insulation.