Tired of the heart-stopping surprise every month that comes with your electric bill? I know I let out a gasp upon receiving a $240 invoice last month. Being motivated to at least have a sub-$200 bill next month, I decided to employ some energy saving techniques. Perhaps some of them would be helpful for you as well.

First up, a few easy ideas.

Be cognizant of when the sun is shining on the house. Keeping the blinds open and allowing the sun to shine in can really help heat up a home. Conversely, close any blinds that are not receiving sunlight as windows allow heat to dissipate to the outside. To maximize this solar solution, trim back branches that are blocking the sun from reaching your windows.

Next, why not harness the energy you are already using for a second act? Try drying your laundry in the morning. Your dryer generates an enormous amount of heat and some of it escapes into your home. When you are first getting up, the extra boost help take the chill out of air and can help your furnace run less. Now why would your home have a chill in the morning?

Because you are going to lower your thermostat at night by 10 degrees! While you are all snug in bed there is no reason to heat your home to a normal, daytime temperature. This is mainly because you are not “in” most of the house while you are sleeping and, secondly, since you are toasty under the blankets you don’t need a warmer air temperature to be comfortable. In fact, people generally sleep better in a more cool environment. Save some money and be more well rested by lowering your thermostat at night – and during the day.

During the day, you might consider lowering the thermostat to 68 degrees and wear a sweater. The lower setting of two to four degrees can add up to significant savings over time. If you would like to maximize savings, investing in a programmable thermostat might be worthwhile. With this device you can set your thermostat to automatically adjust downward in the evening and raise back up an hour or so before you get out of bed. Further, you can have it reset to a lower temperature while you are at work and elevate again shortly before you return home. This pattern can really supercharge the savings. You can pick one up at an home improvement store for under $75. A more basic model can be had for under $30.

Another large part of the battle is keeping the heat in your home. There are many places heat can escape. For instance, I just got around to checking my chimney and the flue was open! I have been sending heat directly out of my home for months. Don’t overlook this easy fix and make sure your damper is closed. Next, run your kitchen and bathroom vents less often. Not only are they venting moisture but also heat. See if you can’t take a shorter shower to minimize moisture buildup and the need to vent as long. Plus, taking a shorter shower uses less hot water which allows your hot water heater to run less often and save more money.

There are other ways to save money in the hot water heater area as well. Try turning down the temperature. Our heater was set at 140 degrees. Not only was this wasting energy, it was a scald hazard. For these reasons, we have reset our water temperature to 120 degrees and the water is sufficiently hot. You might also consider a hot water heater blanket. The blanket wraps around the heater and greatly slows the dissipation of heat from the heater into the surrounding air.

Windows and doors are notorious for allowing cold air into your home. Walk around and check each one and replace any missing or damaged caulking or weather stripping. Be sure to also check around switches and outlets on outside walls. Cold air will often leak in around them. You can greatly reduce this inflow by purchasing special, inexpensive, foam insulators that are designed for use on switches and outlets. For more detailed information on home air leaks, consult the U.S. Department of Energy’s website.

Although it can be expensive to add to your home, make sure you have adequate insulation in the walls and ceilings. Unless you are only going to be in the home a short while longer before selling, it generally makes sense to add insulation if you do not have an adequate amount. You would need to speak to a contractor and have them help you determine the optimal insulation for your home.

Finally, a word of caution. In a zeal to save as much as possible, I have seen folks block off attic venting. They do this on the theory that allowing the cold air into attic cools down their home below. While this is true, they are forgetting about moisture. The vents are present in part to allow the moist air from your home to escape to the outside. If the vents are blocked, this moisture is trapped in your attic. Since your attic will alway be colder than your home (even with the vents blocked) the water precipitates out of the air and now you have ice or water in your attic depending on the temperature. Next are the nasty leaks, damaged insulation and costly repairs. Avoid much heartache and keep your vents open and free flowing.

Hopefully, you can implement a least a couple of these suggestions – and avoid that short gasp of disbelief once a month when the electric bill arrives!

For more information and guidance about residential heating and cooling, visit http://www.aabbottferraro.com. Aabbott Ferraro specializes in residential heating & air conditioning installation and maintenance services, including routine and emergency repair to HVAC units.

Eric Parish author’s articles for WebDrafter.com, Inc. ( http://www.webdrafter.com ), which produces Website design, hosting, and search engine marketing services.