Can you guess your home’s biggest energy wasters?

On average, over a third of the energy we use in our homes is wasted. Your local Touchstone Energy Cooperative is committed to helping you improve your home’s energy efficiency and, in turn, saving you money.

October is National Energy Awareness Month.

, it’s important you know how your energy is being used and where it can be used better.

Here are the top energy users in your home.

Every degree you adjust your thermostat translates into savings. In fact, you can save up to 20% on heating and cooling just by adjusting the temperature when you are gone or sleeping. The best way to do this? A programmable thermostat.

It’s true. Your water heater can use up to 17% of your monthly energy. Two easy options are reducing the temperature setting and enrolling in your local electric co-op’s

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Right behind water heating in energy consumption is the laundry room. For your washer, make sure to use shorter settings for lighter loads and don’t overdue the detergent (more suds=more work). For the dryer, the best thing you can do is to regularly clear the lint filter. Proper air flow reduces drying time.

This one is simple. If you’re using incandescent light bulbs, lighting is a top-four energy consumer. Switching to efficient LED bulbs can save you about $150 per bulb over the life of the bulb. Those savings can really add up!

For more information and other money-saving tricks, check out our

!