Drastic seasonal changes always make us mindful of our energy bills, whether for cooling or heating. Are you also aware of the many energy thieves that are lurking in your home? While they won’t appear as menacing as this fellow above, these thieves can slowly gobble power and increase your costs. An average home can incur costs from $100-150 a year due to these drainers. We have many rechargeable items in our homes, and tend to keep the power cords plugged in when not in use. But they continue to use power! Instead, use a power strip as a charging station, and plug all of your rechargeable items such as cell phones, cameras, and laptops into it. This will enable you to easily turn off the power strip when you’re not charging anything.

Small appliances. Even while in the OFF mode, most small appliances are truly only in standby mode, and continue to use power. Look for any items with a clock, like radios, microwave ovens, coffeemakers, DVD/VCR’s, cable & satellite boxes and TVs. Unplug these appliances when not in use, especially when you’re going to be out of town for a while.

Desktop computers. It will also help if you update to a more efficient power supply. And, if you don’t need a high-end video card, don’t install one. They continue to draw 20+ watts of power in the idle mode.

Space heaters use a LOT of wattage, but are a good alternative to using your heating system. Run your washing machine with cold water as often as possible to eliminate heating the water. Run your dryer on the “no heat” cycle when drying delicate items and other clothing made of thin fabric.

Insulation and weatherstripping. If you’re not sure what type of insulation you have or if you feel it is adequate, and if you think you have deteriorating weatherstripping, hire a fix-it professional to come in and look at these items. You can lose an enormous amount of heating or cooling due to these two items. Adding or changing weatherstripping alone can reduce your heating/cooling bill by as much as 30%. If you have an 1/8 inch gap all the way around a door, you will lose as much energy as if you had a six inch square hole right in the middle of it. Single pane windows provide little protection against heat and cold, and put a strain on your HVAC system. Consider upgrading to energy efficient, double pane windows to reduce heating and cooling costs. HVAC units, refrigerators, deep freezers are lumped together because these units, if particularly old and outdated, are going to be terribly inefficient and, therefore, create a load on your energy bill. You should especially have your HVAC units checked annually to ensure they are still running efficiently. As a reminder, keep the coils behind your refrigerator clean to increase efficiency. Put a monthly reminder in your calendar to manage this task…at the same time that you’re replacing your HVAC filters.

Keep frozen jugs of water in your freezer to help keep it cold all year long.

The Fix-It Professionals is a team of professionals working together to make your environment functional, beautiful and FIXED. John is the licensed electrician and fix-it guy who helps busy, professional women fix their homes & offices, making their environments be exactly as they wish them to be.

The Fix-It Professionals also help the commercial world, assisting Realtor and property managers with everyday fix-it jobs that contractors won’t fix. Let’s face it, most contractors won’t enter the building or office unless it’s a larger job. Not us, we are proud to help you with your everyday fix-it needs