So you are all moved into your new dream home in Overland Park, Parkville, or Kansas City. Your Kansas City movers are long gone and you want to shout it from the rooftops that you finally made it through – making the offer, getting the home loan, closing day, and, of course, moving day! There are boxes in every room waiting to be unpacked and the kids are bouncing off the walls because their routine life has been turned upside-down with the transition.

The last thing you want to think about is your utility bills. But as you prepare to unpack and get settled into your new home, keep this list of energy saving tips handy by placing it on the refrigerator and be sure all family members are aware of how they can contribute to saving energy (and your hard-earned cash) in the home.

Especially with the changing of seasons upon us, it’s time for many Kansas City area homeowners to start thinking about ways to save on their utility bills once winter time is upon us.

We visited Kansas City Power & Light’s website where you will find tons of helpful money-saving tips and videos. But to get you started, we have listed 15 of our own home energy-saving tips:

• Turn lights off in rooms that are not in use.
• Clean light fixtures regularly. Dirty light bulbs and fixtures emit up to 50% less light than clean ones.
• Control the amount of light you are using with dimmer switches, and use natural light whenever possible.
• Lighten the load on your A/C by installing ceiling fans to keep you cool. Ceiling fans typically use no more energy than a standard light bulb.
• Clean or replace the filter in your furnace or A/C every 30 days when in use.
• Power off your desktop computer and monitor at night.
• Go portable – a laptop computer uses up to 90% less energy than desktop models.
• Save on hot water (and the energy to heat it) by reducing your shower time by 2 minutes.
• Caulk and install weather-stripping around windows and doors to close air gaps.
• Make sure attic and crawl spaces are adequately ventilated. Poor ventilation will add to your summer cooling costs. It also can trap moisture in your attic, making insulation less effective.
• Use the lowest appropriate temperature setting when drying clothes and avoid partial loads and over drying clothes.
• Wash dishes and clothes only when you accumulate full loads to save energy and water.
• Clean the lint filter on the clothes dryer before each use to improve the air circulation.
• Keep your water heater set at the lowest temperature that still provides the amount of hot water you need. In most cases 120° F is sufficient.
• Keep fallen leaves, grass clippings, foliage and other debris away from your outdoor air conditioning or heat pump unit. Keep the conditioner’s coils clean following manufacturer instructions.

We hope you’ve enjoyed these home energy saving tips. Cheers to creating an energy-efficient house and home for your family! If you need any assistance moving furniture around your home, don’t hesitate to call Kansas City’s Best Movers at (913) 608-8090!