TIPS

These heating and cooling tips will keep your home comfortable and bills affordable.

• Install a programmable thermostat.
• Raise thermostats 2-3 degrees in the summer and lower 2-3 degrees in the winter.
• Keep air vents open to increase circulation.
• Use fans to cool your home.
• Have your A/C and heating system serviced twice a year (Spring and Fall recommended).
• Purchase systems that have a 16 Seasonal Energy Efficiency Rating (SEER) and 12 Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) rating.
• Clean or replace air filters once a month.

Proper insulation prevents heated/cooled air loss.

• Insulate your attic to reduce heating and cooling needs up to 30 percent.
• R-30, or about 9 to 14 inches, is the minimum recommended for attics.

These bright ideas are easy to do and save money too.

• Switch to LEDs. ENERGY STAR® qualified LEDs use only 20–25% energy and last up to 25 times longer than the traditional incandescent bulbs they replace.
• Use natural light to illuminate your home. It’s free!

Don’t let heating and cooling costs seep through the cracks.

• Watch for these signs that your ducts aren’t performing correctly:
  
  • Rooms are difficult to heat and cool.
  • You have stuffy rooms.
  • You find your flexible A/C duct is tangled or has holes in it.
• Seal air leaks with caulking or weather stripping.
• Install foam gaskets behind outlets and switch plates on exterior walls to stop air from leaking.

Shut out energy loss and open the door to additional savings.

• Weather strip and caulk around windows and doors – a gap of just one-quarter inch can let in air the size of a softball.
• Upgrade to ENERGY STAR®-qualified window models and low E-Glass to reflect infrared light and control heating/cooling costs.
• Install solar screens in place of windows to save even more.
  

Unplug and upgrade to make a difference on your energy bill – electronics and appliances account for 20 percent!

• Replace old appliances with ENERGY STAR®-rated models.
• Unplug electronics (i.e. chargers, computers) when they’re not in use to increase safety and savings.

Soak up the savings by making small changes to your home’s water system.

• Fix leaking faucets to save gallons of water a day.
• Set your water heater temperature at 120 degrees to lower water heating.
• Insulate your hot water heater and heating and cooling pipes to reduce heat loss 25-40 percent.
  

A natural choice, trees save energy and are better for the environment.

• Plant trees 35 feet from your house and 25 feet from power lines to safely improve efficiency.
• Deciduous will shade your house in summer and help warm your home in winter by letting light through.

Want more tips? Check out these sites and check off even more savings:

energy.gov

epa.gov

lighting-choices-save-you-money