Simple ways to use energy more efficiently:

• Keep your thermostat set at 68 º F in winter and 78 º F in summer.
• Make sure the registers and vents for your heating/cooling system are not obstructed by furniture, rugs or other objects.
• Use ceiling fans running forward in summer to create a breeze and running in reverse in winter to help circulate heated air.
• Keep your heating and cooling system running well with clean filters and annual service checks, and keep the outdoor unit clear of grass leaves and other debris.
• Keep the lint try and vent hose on your clothes dryer clean.
• Wash clothes in cold water when possible and tray to do laundry in full loads instead of lots of little loads.
• Keep your refrigerator and freezer door seals in good shape.
• Use the air-dry setting on your dishwasher
• Run your swimming pool pump the minimum time needed to get desired results.

Find out about ways to improve energy efficiency inside your house and outdoors or if you're in the process of building a new home, find helpful tips on energy efficient construction in our Energy Library.

Or use our Home Energy Calculator to estimate and compare the cost of energy usage in your home and change the variables to create different scenarios. To schedule an in home energy audit, Contact Us and a Southern Rivers Energy employee will be happy to assist you.

More Energy Tips from Doug Rye

Making your home more energy efficient can save you money! Doug Rye, a national energy architect, spent 23 years as the state architect for Arkansas where he focused on energy efficient design and construction. Today he is the owner of Ryenovators, a company designed to train builders and contractors on the basics of constructing "the most comfortable homes in the neighborhood with the lowest utility bills."

Here are some his tips for creating a more comfortable and energy efficient home for your family:

• The three most important things to remember for lowering your utility costs and creating a more comfortable house are: 1) air filtration, 2) air filtration and 3) you guessed it - air infiltration. If you add up all the cracks, crevices, and gaps that allow air into your home, it's like having a door open all year long. Close the door!

• When in doubt - caulk it! Use high quality silicone caulk around the doors, windows and other places where building materials are connected.

• Eliminate moisture problems. If you have a crawl space under your home, roll out thick sheets of plastic across the dirt. In your attic, make sure there is adequate ventilation to let moisture escape. When moisture builds up in your basement or your attic, it can destroy the effectiveness of your insulation.

• Duct leakage is a major problem in almost every home. Flex duct should be replaced with hard metal duct. All duct work should be sealed with a mastic paste and insulated. Duct tape should really be known as "temporary tape" because it does not permanently seal duct work.

• In the summer, your attic can reach 140 degrees, so get the duct work out of there!This may not be practical in an older home, but if you're building a new home, insist that the duct work be placed in a conditioned space, a basement or in the crawl space.

• I prefer wet blown cellulose insulation. I've used it thousands of times and I believe it performs better than other insulation materials. Cellulose forms an air tight barrier. It is sound proof and roach proof. In existing homes it can be sprayed directly over fiberglass insulation in the attic.

• If you have an electric water heater, wrap it with a water heater jacket. If the water heater rests on a concrete slab, place a 2 inch thick insulation board underneath it. There's no need for your water heater to heat your slab.

• If you're building a new house or remodeling, choose insulated windows with low-e glass. Windows are wonderful to look through, but they can really increase your energy bills. Also, the glassed area of your exterior should not exceed 10 to 15 percent of the exterior walls.

• The GeoSystem (a geothermal heat pump that uses a buried earth loop/pipe to take advantage of the earth's constant 65-70 degree temperature) is 400 percent more energy efficient than traditional furnaces or air conditioners and can save you up to 50 percent on your annual heating and cooling costs. Plus, the GeoSystem can provide you with free hot water throughout the cooling season and for some of the heating months. These systems are low maintenance and have no noisy outdoor unit.

• Most people, even new home owners, have the least efficient heating and air conditioning equipment allowed under federal law. What a shame! In fact, most gas furnaces are usually only 80 percent efficient. If you must have gas equipment, look for a 95 percent AFUE rated furnace. I recommend heat pumps since they are much more efficient than furnaces. At a minimum, buy heat pumps and air conditioners with a 12 SEER rating or above.