“L” isn’t only for the way you look at me. Check out some simple steps you can take to make your home more efficient.

LED bulbs are proven energy savers.

 LED Lights

We think you should break up with your old, energy- intensive lightbulbs and fall in love with the benefits of light-emitting diode lightbulbs. Switching the five most used lights in your home to LED bulbs can save you almost $75 a year on your energy bill. LEDs last up to 25 times longer than incandescents, too! Energy Star-rated LEDs provide bright, warm light, and use 75 percent less energy than standard lighting. They also generate 75 percent less heat and last up to 25 times longer.

Window blinds allow in natural heat in the winter.

Open blinds to allow in the sunlight’s natural warmth.

Your Valentine’s weekend involves binge-watching you and your significant other’s favorite show on Netflix? Take out the chill simply by opening your blinds to let in some sunlight to heat your home naturally during the day. But don’t forget to close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows!

Keeping vents clean allow heating units to operate more efficiently.

Vent cleaning

“It’s not you, it’s me,” is definitely a line you should be giving to your dryer vent after forgetting to clean it out for the past year. A dirty lint filter makes your dryer use more energy than it has to. A quick cleaning of the screen and vacuuming of the vent should do the trick. Also keep in mind, a dirty filter is a fire hazard.

Plugs left plugged in could be sucking and wasting power.

Energy vampires

Some may think vampires are romantic, but we do not, especially the ones that run up your energy bill when you’re not even using them. Check your outlets for appliances that are left on when not in use, such as electronic power strips, cell phone and laptop chargers and cables boxes. With the average American household owning up to 25 consumer electronic devices, you can see how this can add a significant chunk to your energy use. Unplugging these unused devices can save you as much as 10 percent on your energy bill.