1. Insulate your hot-water storage tank. For electric tanks, be careful not to cover the thermostat, and for natural gas or oil hot water storage tanks, be careful not to cover the water heater's top, bottom, thermostat, or burner compartment. (Follow the manufacturer's recommendations). Learn more about insulating your hot water tank.
2. Don't let the water run. Are you guilty of leaving the water on while you brush your teeth? Or when you step away to grab dirty dishes, or find the soap? All of those extra minutes can add up to a lot of wasted water. It only takes a second to shut it off!
3. Buy Energy Star Appliances
Energy Star rated refrigerators, washers, furnaces, and water heaters use a fraction of the energy their non-rated counterparts use. Most of the time, they’re priced competitively as well. Occasionally, you might have to pay more for an Energy Star rated product, but you’re always going to earn your money back in the long run. If you want to save on your utility bills, always look for the Energy Star logo first when buying large appliances.
4. Dishwasher - Fill the dishwasher before using. Use the economy setting if you have that option. In some dishwashers this can be more efficient than washing by hand.
5. Oven - Try not to open the oven door while cooking if possible. Heat lost by opening the door causes the oven to use more energy. You can also try to be less reliant on your oven a cook a greater proportion of your meals using the microwave. Avoid using oversized pots and use a lid where you can. Stacked steamers are a great of harnessing the power of one hob to cook more than one item.