Your laundry room is yet another place to save energy in your home. As just one example, you can upgrade to a natural gas clothes dryer and increase your drying efficiency over electric units. But no matter what type of dryer you use, there are always ways to cut energy costs. Such as…

When You’re Washing

• Wash full loads only, but don’t overload your machine.

• Adjust the water level to suit the size of your load.

• Use cold water—85% to 90% of energy used to wash clothes goes to heating water.

When You’re Drying

• Put heavy items through a longer spin cycle in the washer to rid extra moisture.

• Include a dry, lint-free towel with each drying load.

• Clean your dryer’s lint filter after every use.

• Make sure the flapper in your exhaust hood moves freely, and remove any lint buildup.

• Hang your clothes outside to dry—they’ll last longer and smell fresher.