Sioux Falls Real Estate Blog

It's a fact. Energy costs are going up. But it's possible to hold the line on your bills with energy-efficient practices. What better time than winter to implement energy and- and moeny-saving ideas?

1. Purchase appliances with the "Energy Star" label. Better yet, the highest efficiency appliances have a "most efficient" label.

2. Invest in a programmable thermostat. This way, you can regulate your home's temperature based on the time of day, day of week, or duration of time you're away. These range in price and features. Find out more here: Programmable Thermostat.

3. Unplug rarely-used electronics (like that karaoke machine), and cluster other appliances, even adapters for cell phones and digital cameras, onto power strips ($3 to $12 for a six-outlet strip). Power strips allow you to turn off all attached electronics with one switch. Unfortunately, some family room electronics, such as set-top boxes and downloading devices like TiVo, can’t be turned off, because that would disrupt the machine's digital data-gathering. But with a smart power strip ($20 to $40), you can turn off your TV while leaving the DVR plugged in.

Read more here.

Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.