doing Energy Conservation Projects yourself

Saving energy is something every home owner can do.  It can be something as simple as changing a light bulb or buying an energy efficient Energy Star compliant appliance. Other projects such as weatherstripping your home or cleaning the air filter in your furnace may require a bit more effort but are a still relatively easy projects.  A lot of energy savings can come just from getting into better habits when using appliances.  Turning down the thermostat when you leave the house in winter, drying your clothes on a line when it is sunny, using the microwave instead of the oven, these are all simple habits that if followed can save you significant energy.

For more ambitious projects such as doing your own insulation there are numerous resources you can turn to to get help.  An excellent source of do-it-yourself information is the book, The Complete Guide to Reducing Energy Costs put out by Consumer Reports.  It provides outstanding examples and walkthroughs on how to do many energy saving tasks such as home insulation, changing air filters, doing weatherstripping and repairing windows or doors.

If you are considering replacing your kitchen appliances or your home heating or cooling system the first place to go is definitely the Energy Star Web site at www.energystar.gov.  This site will provide you solid background on how to save energy on just about every household appliance and will provide listings of all appliances which have earned an Energy Star rating.  Another great government site to check out is the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy site sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy.  This site provides in depth information on how you can save energy in your home, much of it backed by government research.