Many of our clients ask us what they can change at home to help them go green and save money at the same time. That’s why this Friday we’ve aggregated a few quizzes to share with you. These fun, simple quizzes will help you learn about green home options for energy use, plumbing upgrades and more. Ready to test your knowledge of water conservation and green plumbing and electrical options?

• Learn more about home energy use and what you can do to reduce it with this quiz.
• To understand the green tax breaks available for upgrading to energy-efficient and water-conserving systems in your home, try this quiz.
• To learn more about the role green appliances can play in your home, this is the quiz for you.
• Interested in solar photovoltaic panels or a solar water heater in your home? Test your knowledge of these upgrades here.
• Now it’s time to test your toilet — try these three tests on your toilet to see if it’s wasting water.
• Tired of tests? Give yourself a break with this game: Designed for kids (but helpful for adults too!), the TipTank game helps players learn about water conservation.

Interested in green upgrades for your home in the Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill area? Learn more about our green plumbing services, solar water heaters or photovoltaic system installations.

There are lots of ways to save energy at home, but it’s best to get the facts before making a lot of changes. A home energy audit will determine where energy is being wasted in your home and what you can do to fix those problem areas.

Take a look at this article from HowStuffWorks.com to learn about DIY and professional energy audits. After you’ve determined where energy is being wasted in your home, give Progressive a call to help you fix the problems!

What can Progressive do to help you conserve energy? Our Raleigh HVAC division can replace your old heating or air conditioning system to a newer, more energy-efficient model. Our Raleigh electricians can fix energy leaks around electrical outlets, and recommend and install energy-efficient home appliances. Our Raleigh solar technicians can help you make big changes with a solar water heater or photovoltaic solar panels.

Are you ready to save money by conserving energy? Give Progressive a call today!

So this year, along with the usual list of resolutions, add this list of plumbing, HVAC, solar and electrical changes you can make at home to help the environment:

Resolution 1: Check your home for leaks in plumbing and piping. Or, call us to help! Leaky faucets, pipes and other plumbing fixtures can be an enormous waste of water.

Resolution 2: Use your dishwasher and clothes washing machine and dryer efficiently! Only run loads when these appliances are full – this will save gallons of water (in the case of the dishwasher and clothes washing machine) and lots of energy (in the case of the clothes dryer).

Resolution 3: Consider solar energy. There are more solar alternatives than just a rooftop solar array (though those are great). You can go solar with a solar water heater too! Contact Progressive’s solar division to learn how we can help your household switch to solar.

Resolution 4: Adapt to the climate, don’t make the climate adapt to you. Sure, turning up the heat in winter and cranking up the A/C in the summer makes sense. But it also uses a lot of energy. This year, don’t depend on your HVAC system to do all the work. Throw on a sweater if you’re cold; open the window and make a cold beverage if you’re hot.

Resolution 5: Turn off the lights and other electrical appliances when not in use. Ok, you’ve been hearing this your whole life. But have you ever made it a habit? Turn off the lights when you leave the room, unplug the blender when you’re finished with it, unplug your phone charger when it’s not in use, etc.

Resolution 6: Get creative! Reuse water from washing vegetables to water your houseplants. Open the blinds for light instead of turning on the lamp. Put a bucket under a leaky faucet to collect water to use for other purposes. Thinking of new ways to conserve water and energy can be fun, promise.

• Before you decorate your home with strings of lights, inspect each set and make sure it’s not damaged. If it is – don’t use it!
• Replacing bulbs? Make sure the replacement is the same wattage as the original.
• Use bulbs that come with fuses attached to the plugs.
• Remember to only insert or remove bulbs when that string of lights is unplugged from the outlet.
• Use outdoor holiday lights outside, use indoor holiday lights inside.
• Upgrade from your old, overheating strings of lights to new lights that stay cooler longer.
• Use extension cords when necessary; don’t stretch the strings of lights, which can become frayed, damaged and dangerous.
• Never use more than three strings of lights per extension cord. Overloading an outlet can be very dangerous!
• Does your family favor a fake Christmas tree? If it’s metallic, don’t use electric holiday lights to decorate it, which could lead to electric shock.
• Every electrical holiday decoration (especially the ones outside) needs to be plugged into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
• Don’t position electrical cables in precarious ways like under rugs or in high-traffic areas in your home.
• Turn holiday lights on only when you’re at home – this will also conserve energy and help you save on your electricity bill!
• Blow a fuse? Replace it only using those provided with the holiday lights.
• Use an outlet power breaker strip to avoid accidents caused by overloaded electrical outlets.
• You know that rule about keeping electrical cords away from moisture (like snow)? It applies to holiday stringed lights too!

There’s nothing like an electrical emergency to dampen the holiday mood, so keep these safety measures in mind as you’re decorating.