How-To Projects

Make your home more comfortable year round by adding attic insulation. The project can pay for itself in as little as two years in reduced energy costs. While older homes typically have less insulation than homes built today, adding insulation to a newer home may also pay off.

Caulking your home is a cost-effective, efficient way to reduce air seepage and ensure that cool air stays inside your home during the extreme summer heat. Learn what you can do now to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home–and save energy–this summer.

Making your home more energy-efficient doesn't have to cost a lot of money. We've put together some economical ideas for saving energy. Look to Reliant Energy for a range of plan options, innovative tools and information and best-in-class service to help you manage your energy consumption and spending.

Reliant Energy is working together with Nissan Motor Company and the City of Houston to promote broader adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). With plans already underway to establish the largest public charging infrastructure in Texas to support EV owners, Houston is positioned to become a leader in EV technology.

The windows in your home can work for or against you, in terms of creating a more energy-efficient environment. While the placement, quantity and type of windows play a key role in reducing energy usage, simple fixes like solar screens and reflective film can also help significantly.

This time of year, the heat drives us indoors where it's cooler and more comfortable. But is it healthier? Learn about small steps you can take to reduce your consumption—and save on monthly electricity costs.

Solar heat absorbed through windows and roofs can increase your air conditioner use. Incorporating shading concepts into your landscape design can help reduce solar heat gain — reducing your cooling costs, while also adding beauty to your home.

Maintenance is vital to efficient lighting in your home. Light levels decrease over time because of aging lamps and dirt on fixtures, lamps and room surfaces. Together, these factors can reduce total illumination by 50% or more, while lights continue drawing full power.

While some air conditioning maintenance jobs should be left to the pros, here are some steps you can take to maximize your system’s energy efficiency and lifespan.

Your refrigerator consumes up to 15% of the electricity it takes to run your home, so the more energy efficient it is, the better. Here are some steps you can take to maximize your refrigerator’s efficiency and lifespan.

With 1.5 billion people in the world still living in darkness, it has become more important than ever for each of us to do our part to conserve energy. It doesn’t take much effort to make a big difference. Electricity plans that use wind-generated energy offer a convenient way to reduce your carbon footprint.