101 easy ways to save energy

2. Change or clean your furnace filter once a month. Dust and dirt can quickly clog vital parts, making your furnace run harder and eventually break down.

3. Have your heating system inspected regularly - especially if it's natural gas. A $50-100 annual tune-up can help reduce your heating costs by up to five percent.

If you have a forced-air furnace, do NOT close heat registers in unused rooms. Your furnace is designed to heat a specific square footage of space and can't sense a register is closed - it will continue working at the same pace. In addition, the cold air from unheated rooms can escape into the rest of the house, reducing the effectiveness of all your insulating and weatherizing.

5. Install a programmable or smart thermostat. If you use it to set back the temperature by 10 degrees for eight hours every night, you'll lower your heating bills by 10 percent. A $50 digital thermostat can pay for itself in energy savings in less than a year.

6. Don't set the thermostat higher than you actually want it. It won't heat your home any faster, and it will keep your furnace running longer than necessary.

7. Vacuum registers and vents regularly, and don't let furniture and draperies block the air flow. Inexpensive plastic deflectors can direct air under tables and chairs.

8. If your home has a boiler system, avoid covering radiators with screens or blocking them with furniture. It's also a good idea to add a reflecting panel behind radiators - you can purchase one at a home center or make one yourself with a plywood panel and aluminum foil.

9. If your home has electric baseboard heating, be sure to keep furniture and draperies away from the heaters, and leave at least a three-inch clearance under the heating unit.

10. Keep curtains and blinds closed at night to keep cold air out, but open them during the day to let the sun warm the room.

11. Avoid using space heaters, including electric, kerosene or propane models. Not only are they expensive to operate, they're also very dangerous.

12. If you have hardwood or tile floors, add area rugs to keep your feet warm.

13. If you'll be going on vacation, lower the thermostat to 55 degrees. This will save energy while preventing water pipes from freezing.

Learn more about heating your home 

19. Check insulation levels throughout your house. Measure attic insulation with a ruler, and check behind switch plates for sidewall insulation.

20. Install more attic insulation. Upgrading from three inches to 12 inches can cut heating costs by 20 percent, and cooling costs by 10 percent.

21. Add pieces of batt insulation to the rim joists - the area along the top of the foundation where it meets the exterior walls.

22. If your basement is unheated, install blanket insulation in between exposed floor joists.

23. Choose the new "no-itch" or poly-wrapped insulation products. They're much easier to handle and safer to work with - making them worth the extra cost.

24. Install additional attic insulation at right angles to the previous layer. You don't have to use the same type of insulation - it's fine to use batts or blankets over loose-fill, or vice versa.

25. When using loose-fill, be sure to distribute the insulation evenly. Any inconsistencies can reduce the insulating value.

26. While shopping for insulation, remember that R-value measures the amount of thermal resistance. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation.

27. Never cover attic vents or recessed light fixtures with insulation, and allow a three-inch clearance around chimneys and flue pipes to prevent overheating and avoid the risk of fire.

28. Have a leaky roof repaired and make sure your basement is waterproofed. Wet insulation is worthless.

Learn more about insulating your home

39. Seal doors and windows with caulk, weatherstripping and plastic film. An investment of $50 in weatherizing supplies can reduce heating costs by two to three times that much. Don't forget the basement windows!

40. Add foam gaskets behind all outlet covers and switch plates, and use safety plugs in all unused outlets. These are prime places for outside air to leak into your home. Be sure to shut off power at the fuse box or circuit panel first.

41. Check the exterior of your home for air leaks, especially around openings for water spigots, air conditioner hoses, dryer vents and gas pipes. Use caulk or expanding foam to seal spaces.

42. If your home has a large, single-pane picture window, use heavy draperies during the winter to help hold back cold air.

43. Reflective window film can help reduce heat gain during the summer, and it will keep furniture and carpets from fading.

44. Check window panes to see if they need new glazing. If the glass is loose, replace the putty holding the pane in place. Most types of window glazing require painting for a proper seal.

45. If drafts sneak in under exterior doors, replace the threshold. If that's not practical, block the drafts with a rolled-up towel or blanket.

46. Seal the edges of unused doors and windows with rope caulk. Don't seal them shut permanently - you might need quick ventilation or escape during an emergency.

47. Choose the right kind of caulk for the job. Use latex or acrylic caulk inside - it's easy to clean and more forgiving if you're a beginner. Silicone caulk is great for outside use because it lasts longer and seals virtually any type of surface.

48. Don't forget to weatherize the attic access. Secure batt insulation to the back of the hatch or door, and use weatherstripping to seal the opening.

Learn more about weatherizing your home 

55. Use smaller kitchen appliances whenever possible. Microwaves, toaster ovens and slow-cookers can use 75 percent less energy than a large electric oven.

56. Vacuum the refrigerator coils about twice a year to keep the compressor running efficiently.

57. As your mother always told you, don't leave the refrigerator door open. Every time it's opened, up to 30 percent of the cooled air can escape. The same rule holds for the oven, too.

58. Keep the refrigerator temperature about 36-38 degrees, and the freezer at 0-5 degrees.

59. Don't overload the refrigerator or freezer. The cold air needs to circulate freely to keep foods at the proper temperature.

60. Make sure the refrigerator is level, so the door automatically swings shut instead of open. If the floor isn't level, use shims to prop up the front of the refrigerator.

61. Don't worry about placing hot leftovers in the refrigerator. It won't affect energy use significantly, and cooling food to room temperature first can increase the chance of food-borne illnesses.

62. Check the seal on your refrigerator door by closing it on a dollar bill. If you can pull the bill out easily, it's time to replace the gaskets. You can purchase a replacement kit from an appliance dealer or a home center.

63. Use your oven's self-cleaning feature immediately after cooking, while the oven is still hot. This will reduce a lengthy warm-up time.

64. Use lids on pots and pans to reduce cooking times, and don't put a small pan on a large burner.

65. Keep the grease plates under range burners clean to reflect heat more efficiently.

66. Run the dishwasher only with full loads, and use the air-dry cycle. If your dishwasher has a "booster" water heater, use it; this will heat the water to the 140 degrees recommended by manufacturers, while maintaining an energy-saving 120 degrees on your primary water heater.

Learn more about energy efficiency in the kitchen 

72. Switch to LED light bulbs. These bulbs use less energy than typical incandescents, and they last longer.

73. Learn how to read the label on the bulb to make sure you are only buying the level of bulb you need.

74. Use lighting control devices like dimmers, motion detectors, occupancy sensors, photocells and timers to provide light only when you need it.

75. Keep lamps away from thermostats; the heat produced can cause your furnace to run less than needed or your air conditioner more than needed.

76. Dust light fixtures regularly. A heavy coat of dust can block up to 50 percent of the light output.

77. Use only a single bulb in a multi-socket fixture. Be sure to check the maximum wattage the fixture allows.

78. Replace an incandescent outdoor light or high-intensity floodlight with a high-pressure sodium fixture. The bulbs will last longer, use less energy, and handle temperature extremes better.

79. Use low-voltage lighting kits to light walkways, patios and decks. The soft light will also attract fewer annoying insects.

80. Decorate with pale colors on walls, ceilings and floors. Soft tones reflect more light, so you can use lower wattage bulbs and delay turning on lights until later in the day. Using high-gloss paint can help as well.

81.When decorating for the holidays, look for low-energy strands of lights to save.

Learn more about lighting your home 

92. Remember that it pays to invest in energy efficiency. In some cases, the money you save in energy costs can pay back the purchase price in just a few years.

93. Always read the Energy Guide label carefully, and make sure you're comparing "apples to apples." Energy use can range significantly even within a single brand.

94. Choose the capacity that's right for your family. Whether it's a furnace or a refrigerator, it doesn't pay to purchase a unit that's too large or too small.

95. In almost every case, a natural gas appliance is more economical to use than an electric model. The $50-75 price difference can be paid back in energy savings in less than a year.

96. Replace inefficient appliances - even if they're still working. An aging water heater or refrigerator could be costing you much more than you think. If your central air conditioner is more than 10 years old, replacing it with a high-efficiency new unit will cut your summer electric bills by about one-third.

97. Shop during the off-season. Many heating and cooling manufacturers offer significant rebates during seasonal sales promotions, and dealers may charge less for installation.

98. Investigate new technology carefully. Some innovations, like convection ovens or argon-filled windows, may save energy and make life more convenient; others, such as commercial-grade kitchen appliances, might be merely expensive cosmetic enhancements.

99. Look for the ENERGY STAR logo. This designation from the Environmental Protection Agency means that the appliance exceeds minimum federal energy- use standards, usually by a significant amount.

100. Don't forget to ask about warranties, service contracts, and delivery and installation costs.

101. Be sure to choose a reputable and knowledgeable dealer. A good dealer should be able to help you calculate energy savings and the payback period, and he or she should offer you a range of brands and prices.

Learn more about buying new appliances