Energy bills are among the most significant ongoing expenses everyone has for their homes. According to the US Energy Information Administration, these costs are ever-increasing. Fortunately, you can do something to lower your energy bills.

By making sure you use energy as efficiently as possible, you’ll also effectively save your money. Plus, you’ll be doing the environment a favor. So if you want to walk this road of energy (and money) saving, here are a few things you should do:

Cooling and Heating

Cooling and heating significantly contribute to the energy used by American homes. If you use an HVAC system in your home, check whether it’s running at optimum condition. If it’s not, it can cause your bill to shoot up. You can have it evaluated and worked on by professionals, or you can upgrade your system for a new one that’s more energy-efficient.

Your windows also play a vital role in both heating and cooling. Heat loss or gain happens in areas of your home that can allow heat to pass through. Check whether there are possible leaks. These usually occur in openings like your windows and doors. Specific window models, like single-pane ones, are more likely to allow these leaks. Replace them with double-pane ones.

You can also use different window treatments like draperies or indoor solar shades to save energy, especially when your AC is cranked to its highest setting.

Lighting

Your lightbulbs are one of the things you can change that will have a notable impact on your energy costs. According to The New York Times, 43 percent of all US homes still use types of incandescent bulbs to light up their home., while only 14 percent use LEDs. This is especially troubling because according to the Department of Energy, incandescent bulbs use about 25 – 80 percent more energy than their LED counterparts. LED bulbs can also last 3 – 25 times longer.

Traditional incandescent bulbs are so inefficient, their sale has long been banned in the UK and other countries. A similar ban was supposed to happen in the US, but the plan was scrapped last year.

Replace all your lightbulbs to LEDs to save energy. Their longer service life also adds to their cost-effectiveness.

Appliances

Your appliances make up around 13 percent of your home’s energy use. You can lower this percentage by choosing devices that have the ENERGY STAR label. When you see this label, it means the appliance is guaranteed by the federal government to be more energy-efficient than those without. Your energy savings here can reach up to 25 percent for some devices.

Using smart power strips can also help you conserve energy use. According to Energy Sage, devices still consume energy even if they’re turned off. By using smart power strips, your appliances won’t have access to power when they are turned off. You can also set times of day where these smart power strips can turn themselves on or off.

Stay on top of your energy consumption and save where you can so you can reduce those energy bills.