Spring’s her and it is time to open up the windows and enjoy the fresh air before the temperature rises too much and you’re forced to shut them once again. If the idea of paying through your nose for utility bills this summer is making you cringe then you will need to make some energy efficient changes to your home in the spring. Here are a few excellent tips that can help you increase the energy efficiency of your home this spring and allow you to save some cash during the upcoming summer months:

Dust

Spring cleaning is an integral part of your routine during this time of the year. But what you can do a little differently this time around is dust some places which you have never thought of dusting before. Clean the dirt out of the exterior and interior light globes. Clear away the dust from the light bulbs. This will make it easier for these fixtures to produce light to illuminate your home. While you are dusting around your home, be sure to replace any burnt out incandescent bulbs with highly efficient, long lasting fluorescent ones. One more place you certainly haven’t considered cleaning is below your refrigerator. What about the air intake vents? Make sure you get all of the dust bunnies out from the coils at the back of the fridge too.

Clothes dryer

Your dryer is among the biggest energy consumers in any home. You can help it become more efficient by regularly cleaning out the exhaust hose on the back of the appliance. Take the hose out of your wall and take a long handled vacuum attachment and clean it nicely from the inside. Also, you should check the vent outside your home where the hot air escapes from and make sure it doesn’t have any lint or debris clinging on to it. This may have happened during the winter. So make sure you check it.

Electronics

Instead of plugging your electronic gadgets directly into the wall, plug them into a power strip. This way, you can turn the power off whenever you aren’t using them. Believe it or not, this can help you reduce the energy consumption of these devices by as much as 75%. What’s more, it will also go a long way in reducing CO2 emissions as well.

Home improvements

You need to make your home more energy efficient. Do this by investing in improvements which might cost you a little money in the beginning but are going to save you tons in the long run. Build an additional attic, improve wall insulation, replace your windows, get a new air conditioning system, etc. All of these improvements are going to help you save money for sure.