The days are turning shorter, vacation is over and kids are headed back to school. It's the perfect time to get more serious about saving energy. These quick, cost-saving tips will help you adjust your energy use to match your family's new routine.

Program your thermostat

You can save a lot of energy by adjusting the thermostat to match your family's school and work schedule. Why waste energy keeping an empty house comfortable? Wi-Fi programmable thermostats optimize savings and convenience by automatically adjusting temperatures based on your schedule. You can also take advantage of smart features, such as remote control.

Get smarter with power strips

Electronic devices such as TVs, game consoles and chargers continue to draw power, even when no one is home to use them. Advanced power strips provide a smart, energy-saving solution. They automatically cut power to devices when they're not in use.

Draw the curtain on heat gain

Close window treatments when you leave for the day. This will help block solar heat gain that gets trapped inside your home. Otherwise, your air conditioning system works harder, even at a higher, energy-saving setting.

Close the door on energy waste

As you're packing lunches, you may find yourself opening and closing the refrigerator door a lot. This makes the refrigerator work harder to maintain a consistent temperature and keep things cool.

Take out everything you need at once and close the door quickly. This makes lunch ingredients easier to access and quicker to pack, as well as saves time and energy.

Call a pro

Summer heat and humidity can be hard on your home. Call a qualified professional to inspect and clean your furnace to ensure it's running efficiently.

Also consider a home energy audit. Your auditor will inspect your home and provide you with a set of customized recommendations that will improve comfort and efficiency all year long.