Here are a few to consider:
- Seal around openings, such as electrical outlets, baseboards, and attic hatches, to make your home less drafty. Caulking leaks can save an average household 10 to 20 percent on annual heating and cooling bills. Weather-stripping windows can save you an additional 5 to 10 percent annually on heating and cooling bills.
- Close curtains during the winter to reduce heat loss up to 10 percent. However, you may want to open curtains on sunlit windows during the day to boost temperatures from solar energy. Just be sure to close curtains at night or on windows that don’t get much sun.
- Lower your thermostat by seven to 10 degrees Fahrenheit for eight hours a day to save up to 10 percent annually on your heating and cooling bills.
- Lowering the thermostat by 10 to 15 degrees while you sleep can also help save roughly 10 percent on your heating bills.
- Inspect and replace your furnace filter regularly. Make sure your furnace filter is clean, so the equipment isn’t working harder than it needs to be.
- Use the energy saver mode on your devices, appliances, and even some heating equipment to easily reduce energy consumption without sacrificing performance.
- Use cold water for laundry and wash full loads to save on energy and water heating.
- Don’t open the oven door to check on food. This could cause the temperature to drop as much as 25 degrees, requiring more energy to heat up again.
- Lower the temperature on your water heater from 140 degrees to 120 degrees. You can save on energy without noticing a difference in temperature.