There are lots of little things we can do around our homes for energy efficiency. You don’t always have to equate energy efficiency with installing solar panels or a wind turbine in your yard! For many of us, the cost of that is not realistic. So if you want your home to be more energy efficient and shave anywhere from $200-$400 off your bills annually and increase the value to your home, check out these tips below.

Programmable thermostat
A programmable thermostat can save consumers about $180 per year in energy costs, according to Energy Star. Automated systems can be set to reduce consumption when residents are out and to create heating and cooling zones in a home–like a guest bedroom, for instance, might not always need the same level of heat as the living room. Or if you can’t buy a new thermostat, you can at the very least, close vents to those parts of your home that you rarely are in and focus the heat to the part of the house you spend the most time. Online, programmable thermostats range anywhere in price from $25-$150.

Lighting
Automatic dimmers will adjust lighting based on the time of day, which is extremely beneficial for exterior lighting.

Blinds and Drapes
Let the sun do the work for you by letting the light in when you need the warmth or closing it out when it’s too hot. A dark room stays much cooler than a very bright one. There are also automated blinds that can be programmed to close during the hottest part of the day in summer and to let sun in during the winter. Pretty eco-savvy!

Water Heaters
Tankless gas water heaters turn on when residents start using hot water and turn off when they’re done, which can reduce water heating costs up to 35% annually. Water heaters taht have a timer can be programmed to turn off when the home owner is away. But if you can’t afford a tankless water heater you can turn the heat down on the water in your house by a few degrees to help save in heating costs.

By Betsy Ballantyne