A new season is here. Spring brings warmer temperatures and marks a great time to reevaluate ways to save on your power bill.

Here are some simple tips to help keep your costs manageable.

• • Replace the air filter. When it comes to improving the energy efficiency of your heating and cooling system, replacing a dirty air filter is probably the simplest, most inexpensive and most often overlooked maintenance job. Air filters don’t just keep the air fresh. They save you money on energy purchases by making it easier for the system to work. Clean filters prolong the useful life of your heating and cooling equipment by keeping dirt and dust off of diffusers and coils and out of fans and motors.
  • Adjust your thermostat and forget it. As the temperature warms, try setting it at 78 degrees or above. You will likely waste energy if you adjust it often during the day.
  • Check heating and cooling equipment. With warmer temperatures on the way, allow a qualified service technician to perform an inspection to make sure it’s working properly.

Hot water heaters (file)

Set your thermostat on a fixed temperature and forget it, depending on the season, to help even out bill spikes. (file)

Compact fluorescent bulbs save energy. (file)

• Open and close your refrigerator as little as possible. The kitchen is also an ideal area to manage energy. Using your dishwasher once a day is more efficient than hand-washing dishes several times a day. Make sure you load the dishwasher with the right amount of detergent and choose the shortest cycle. This will ensure savings.
• Rev up the efficiency of your refrigeration by making sure your unit is level, keeping condenser coils clean and unobstructed and keeping the temperature at 37–40 degrees. Make sure you open and close your refrigerator and freezer as little as possible.
• When performing activities that add heat to your home, do it in the coolest part of the day. These include cooking and washing dishes.
• Tackle a do-it-yourself energy-saving project, such as insulating your attic or sealing air leaks around windows and doors to increase your home’s energy efficiency and comfort level.

You can also go online to perform an energy checkup to learn about your home’s energy use and to get more energy efficiency tips at alabamapower.com.

Heat pumps located outside of the home. (file)

Insulating your attic is a great DIY project. (file)

Sealing leaks around windows increases your home’s comfort level. (file)