Improving your home’s energy efficiency can help you save money and is great for the environment. Some projects cost more than others, but any improvements you can make will help. Here are three areas to consider when greening your home.

1. Insulation

Insulation helps keep your house cool in hot weather and warm in cold weather. Do your exterior walls have enough insulation? Windows and door insulation also helps to prevent heat transfer to the outdoors. A great way to get bang for your insulation buck is to add Pittsburgh fiberglass insulation to your unfinished attic space. Adding foam liners to electrical outlet covers and switch plates can help reduce air leakage.

2. Laundry

When it’s time to replace your washer and dryer, you’ll see significant energy savings immediately. No matter the age of your washer, though, you can go easier on the Earth and your wallet by washing all of your laundry in cold water. You can buy detergents that are specifically designed to work best in cold water. Drying your clothes outside in the sun would greatly reduce your laundry energy usage, but that’s not an option for everyone. If your dryer offers a sensor mode, use that rather than timed drying when possible.

3. Keep Cool

Air conditioning is a modern convenience that few would be willing to give up for energy efficiency, but you can reduce the amount you need to run your air conditioner. If you don’t already have shade trees around your home, planting some will help. Choose large, fast-growing trees for the quickest impact. Trees block some of the sun’s solar energy so that it adds less heat to your home in hot weather. Window shades can offer a similar benefit on a smaller scale. Adding ceiling fans to your most-used rooms can help circulate your conditioned air and keep your rooms cooler. Saving money and protecting the environment are both benefits of going greener at home. Look around to see what areas you can improve today.