Room by Room Energy Efficiency Tips

Schedule an annual inspection of your heating system. A qualified contractor can inspect your furnace to ensure it is working properly. If repairs are needed, have a qualified contractor perform the work.
If your furnace is old, replacing it with a new, high-efficiency furnace can save valuable energy dollars.
Replace air filters in your furnace every three to six months. Clogged filters make the furnace work harder, wearing it down.

Water heater

Wrap the water heater tank with an insulation blanket (in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines) to keep water in the tank warm – reducing the amount of energy needed to heat up the water. Also, insulate the water pipes leading out from your water heater with inexpensive foam sleeves.
Periodically drain the water heater until water runs clear. This allows sediment and mineral deposits to escape and increases efficiency.
Lower your water heater thermostat setting to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. For a family of four, this could reduce energy use by 15 percent, saving approximately $37 per year.

Doors: Shut out wasted energy

Install a storm door with weather stripping and a bottom sweep to seal the elements outside. Replace thresholds so the cold doesn't sneak under the door.
Cover areas around letterboxes and keyholes with flaps or brush seals to prevent heat from escaping.
Replace weather stripping and seals on windows and doors. You will save between 5 and 10 percent on your annual heating and cooling costs.

Windows: Look out for hidden savings

Make sure all storm windows are closed. It only takes one or two unprotected windows to chill a room and lose heating dollars.
On windows that face the sun, leave draperies open during the day. At night, close drapes to help keep heat inside. Consider installing heavy draperies on large windows.
Double-glazing window frames can cut heat losses in half.
Remove window air conditioners in the winter, then seal the spaces where they were installed.

Kitchen: Cook up the savings

Stovetop

Turn off the range hood fan as soon as you are done using it. It can drain the house of heated or cooled air in just one hour.
When cooking, make sure the size of your pan matches the size of the burner. If the flames are bigger than the pan base, you're wasting heat.
Keep range-top burners clean so heat reflects properly.

Oven

Cook foods in glass or ceramic pans. You can set your oven 25 degrees cooler and your food will cook at the same rate.
Don't open your oven door to check your food. The oven can lose 25 percent of its heat when you open the door.
When baking, cook several things together to shorten the time the oven is on. Or make double batches and freeze them for later use.
When re-heating or cooking small foods, use the microwave or toaster oven instead of your oven.
If you plan to use the self-cleaning oven feature, do it right after you've baked so the oven doesn't need to re-heat.

Refrigerator/Freezer

Consider replacing your old refrigerator. New units use half as much energy as those made 20 years ago, even if they are the same size.
Clean refrigerator coils every six months to keep the appliance running efficiently.
Defrost your freezer. Frost build-up makes the freezer work harder to keep your food frozen.
Keep your refrigerator full enough to maximize cooling power, but don't stock it so full that the air can't circulate.
Make sure the seal on your refrigerator door is tight. If you can easily slide a dollar bill through it when it is closed, the gaskets should be replaced.

Dishwasher

Run only full loads in the dishwasher. To save energy, use the air dry cycle or open the door to let air circulate.

Bright Idea!
Shut off lights, televisions, stereos and electric appliances when not in use. A single 60 watt light bulb left on 12 hours per day for one year uses 263kWh of energy, totaling $23 per year. Multiply this by the number of lights and appliances in your home and the potential for savings is significant.

Bathroom: Don't let energy dollars go down the drain

Place faucet levers in the "cold" position when using small amounts of water as the "hot" position uses energy to heat the water even though it may never reach the faucet.
Replace your showerhead with one that saves water to reduce the costs of heating water.
Turn off the bathroom vent fan as soon as you are done using it. It can drain the house of heated or cooled air in just one hour.
An average bath uses 15-25 gallons of hot water while a five-minute shower uses less than 10 gallons. To save energy, take showers instead of baths and keep them as short and cool as tolerable.
Fix leaky faucets. One drip can waste up to 250 gallons of water per month, which translates to 3,000 gallons of wasted water annually.

Laundry room: Wash out wasted energy

Dry loads one after another to keep the dryer from having to heat up more than necessary.
Regularly clean the air vent leading from your dryer to outside as well as the lint screen to maintain efficiency.
Wash clothes in cold water and avoid using the longest setting unless necessary. Washing in cold water can save up to 12 gallons of hot water per load. Based on an average of eight loads per week, you could save approximately $46 per year.

Heating and cooling: Hot tips to keep the cold out

Experiment with your settings to find a lower temperature that is comfortable. Just a few degrees change in thermostat settings can make a big difference in the amount of energy used.
Close heat vents in rooms that are mostly unused, such as guest rooms, only if you don't have a forced-air furnace. (A forced-air furnace is designed to heat a specific space.)
Move furniture, draperies or other objects blocking registers, radiators or air conditioners to ensure proper air flow.
Install ceiling fans. During summer months, set them to go counterclockwise, creating a downdraft and making the room feel 8 degrees cooler. During winter months, set them to go clockwise, recirculating hot air at the ceiling.
Remove your window air conditioner in the winter, then seal the space where it was installed.

Bright Idea!
Restrict or limit the use of portable electric space heaters. A 1,200 watt space heater left operating 12 hours per day for one month will result in 432 kWh of electric usage. Ove the course of the heating season, this translates to more than $95.

Set your thermostat for savings

Lower your thermostat temperature. Every one degree results in savings of 4-5 percent on your energy bill. For example, lowering from 72 degrees Fahrenheit to 68 degrees Fahrenheit could save you 18 percent. For an average size home, the annual savings would be approximately $150.
Install a setback thermostat to automatically lower the temperature setting at night or during unoccupied periods. A ten degree setback at night will save 5-15 percent on annual heating costs. For an average size home, the annual savings would be approximately $83.
Don't put lights by your thermostat. They can cause the thermostat to have an inaccurate reading.
Consider a humidifier. Properly humidified air makes your home feel warmer and more comfortable, so you can keep your thermostat setting lower.

Fireplace: Are you sending energy dollars up in smoke?

Remember to close the chimney flue when the fireplace is not in use. An open flue is like an open window, allowing warm air to escape – 24 hours a day!
When using the fireplace, turn your thermostat down to keep warm air from the fireplace in the house.

Insulation: Seal up savings

Ducts

Get your air ducts sealed by a professional HVAC contractor. According to the Department of Energy, you can lose up to 40 percent of your heated or cooled air through leaks in your ductwork.

Attic

Add insulation to your attic. Purchase insulation with a high R-value (the higher the R-value, the better it will work).
Install an attic fan to make sure your attic is properly ventilated. An attic fan eliminates warm air in the summer, which can help regulate the temperature in your home.

Walls

Use caulking, sealant or weather-stripping to weatherize all seams, cracks and openings around windows, doors and baseboards, as well as the small openings around television cables, dryer vents and plumbing pipes.

Roof

Keep the insulation in your attic dry and effective by repairing leaks in your roof.

Bright Idea!
Replace incandescent bulbs with energy efficient fluorescent lamps, which use three-fourths less energy and last up to five times longer. For each 60 watt lamp replaced, you could save approximately 100kWh or $7.23 per year based on 2,200 hours of use. A typical 2,400 square foot home could save up to $325 annually.

Redecorating: Shop smart and save energy

When shopping for new appliances, look for those with the Energy Star logo. An Energy Star-qualified clothes washer uses 8,000 fewer gallons of water each year.
Replace your top-loading washing machine with a front-loading horizontal axis model. They use less energy and water.
When shopping for a new clothes dryer, purchase one that senses when clothes are dry and automatically shuts off.
When purchasing a new refrigerator, consider one with a small trap door on the front that allows you to access items without opening the door, causing cool air to escape. Some newer models will even alert you when you leave the door open.
When planning a new kitchen, don't put the refrigerator next to any other appliances. Appliances need buffers around them so they operate correctly and efficiently.
When replacing windows, be sure to research those that will save the most energy. Choose windows with a low U-value (lower than .35) to maximize insulating qualities.
Replace your wood front door with one made from fiberglass. Fiberglass offers up to five times more protection from cold than traditional wood doors.

Energy efficiency outdoors

Keep your garage door closed during the winter so cold air doesn't penetrate the outer walls of your home.
Use low-wattage lights outside. Several low-wattage fixtures use fewer watts than one floodlight. Or consider solar-powered lights.
Plant trees that shade your home to keep cooling costs down. Leafy trees shade best on the south and west sides. Deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the winter keep you cool in the summer from shade and warm the house in the winter by letting in sun. Plant evergreen trees to serve as wind breakers.

While you're away, pack up energy savings

If you're going on vacation, set your thermostat at 55 degrees. This will lower your heating expense while keeping your pipes from freezing.
Turn the water heater down before you leave for vacation. Don't heat water you won't be around to use.