General
Overall Tip
Look for home and office products that have earned the ENERGY STAR®
label. These products have
met energy efficiency guidelines set by EPA and the U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE). This will save
you money if properly used! The ENERGY STAR can be found on appliances,
heating and cooling
equipment, consumer electronics, home office equipment, lighting fixtures
and bulbs, and new homes.
In cases where ENERGY STAR® is not available, look for the highest
energy savings on the Energy
Guide label.
Heating and Cooling
Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more
energy dollars than any other system
in your home. Typically, 44% of your utility bill goes for heating and
cooling. No matter what kind of
heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system you have in your house,
you can save money and
increase comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment.
Preventative maintenance,
once for the heating season and once for the cooling season, will help
keep your equipment running
efficiently.
You should clean or replace your air filter once per month (ideally)
or at least every other month for
maximum efficiency.
If replacing your equipment, look for the ENERGY STAR® or Energy
Guide Label. ENERGY STAR®
labeled equipment (if properly used) can save you up to 30-40% on your
energy bills.
Programmable Thermostat Tips
• You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling
bills by simply turning your
thermostat back 10% to 15% (7 to 10 degrees) for 8 hours. You can do
this automatically without
sacrificing comfort by installing an automatic setback or programmable
thermostat.
Note: Use a thermostat that is designed specifically for heat pumps
to prevent triggering the backup
heat source, which will wipe out any savings that you will obtain from
using programmable thermostats.
Duct Tips
• Check your ducts for air leaks. First look for sections that
should be joined but have separated
and then look for obvious holes.
• If you use duct tape to repair and seal your ducts, look for
tape with the Underwriters Laboratories
(UL) logo to avoid tape that degrades, cracks, and loses its bond with
age.
• Remember that insulating ducts in the basement will make the
basement colder. If both the ducts and
the basement walls are not insulated, consider insulating both.
• If your basement has been converted to a living area, install
both supply and return registers in the
basement rooms.
• Be sure a well-sealed vapor barrier exists on the outside of
the insulation on cooling ducts to prevent
moisture buildup.
• Get a professional to help you insulate and repair all ducts.
Heat Pump Tips
• Do not set back the heat pump's thermostat manually if it causes
the backup heating to come on. This type of heating is more expensive.
• Clean or change filters once a month or as needed, and maintain
the system according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Look for the ENERGY STAR® label when buying a heat pump.
Solar Tips
• Keep all south-facing glass clean.
• Make sure that objects do not block the sunlight shining on
concrete slab floors or heat-absorbing walls.
• Consider using insulating curtains to reduce excessive heat
loss from large windows at night.
Gas Heating Systems Tips