Did you know that waste haulers typically do not accept appliances, batteries, electronics, pesticides or paint in regular curbside pickup? For many of these items, it is actually illegal to dispose of them in your trash. What to do? Contact your local waste hauler and ask them to do a "special handling" pickup for these items. For items that are required to be disposed of in a specific manner, simply making a call and arranging for pickup ensures they are disposed of safely and for good.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

Though it’s more energy-efficient to dry your clothes on a clothesline, there are times when you need to use a dryer. To make it as efficient as possible, place your dryer in a warm spot in the home (a cold garage or basement may not be the best place) since this will reduce the time the machine needs to warm up. Use the delay feature function to make the dryer run automatically during non-peak hours like in the middle of the night. And dry loads of clothes one right after another; the residual heat from the first load will speed up the drying time of the second.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION

One of the biggest energy hogs in your home is running air conditioning all day long. There are some easy tips you can use to help keep your house cool during the summer months. The easiest? Use white blinds on your sunniest windows. The white color is reflective and helps reduce solar heat gain inside your home. It’s so effective, it can reduce heat by as much as 45%. This one purchase and action can pay for itself in a very short period of time.

ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION