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There are many things that you can do around your home to save on your energy bills, some are simple and low cost. Other measures may require a professional.

Formulate A Plan

1. How much money do you spend on energy?
2. Where are you losing the most energy?
3. How long will an investment in efficiency pay for itself in savings?
4. Can I do it myself or do I need to hire a Contractor ?
5. What is your budget for making improvements ?

Once you have your priorities assigned you can form a whole house efficiency plan and strategies for making smart purchases and improvements to maximize energy efficiency.

Another option is to seek the advice of a professional. Many utilities conduct energy audits for free or for a small fee.

Lighting

One of the fastest and easiest ways to to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption is to change incandescent light bulbs with Cfls ( Compact Fluorescent Lamps ).  Cfls are more efficient than incandescent blubs and last 6 to ten time longer. Although Cfls are more expensive than incandescents they pay for themselves by saving energy over their lifetime.

Water Heating

Another easy way to save energy is at your water heater. Unless you have an “on demand” tankless water heater you at heating water 24/7. You can save by lowering the temperature that you keep the water. 120 degrees or lower is pretty good and there is less chance of scalding. You can also install an insulation blanket on your water heater but read the documentation for your heater wrapping it could void the warranty. Also use pipe wrap insulation on the first 6 to 10 feet of the hot water line. If you have a gas water heater be sure to stay well clear of the vent pipe and draft diverter.

Maintain Your Heating/Cooling System

The heating /cooling system in your home typically uses more energy than any other system in your home.Proper maintenance is essential. Consider upgrading older equipment to more efficient systems. But remember even the most efficient equipment will only help if you can keep the warm or cool;air inside the house. A whole house approach is best.

• Tips:
• Set thermostat as low in winter as is comfortable and as high as is comfortable in summer
• Clean or replace filters once a month or as needed
• clean registers as needed
• use bath or kitchen ventilation fans only as needed.
• During heating season keep draperies and shades on south facing widows open to allow sunlight to enter.

Insulation

First check your insulation level in the attic, exterior walls, and basement walls.  Insulation is measured in R-values. The higher the R-value the more resistant it is to the transfer of heat. Many older homes have no insulation or are under-insulated.  Insulation usually comes in four types: batts, rolls, lose fill and rigid foam boards. Rolls and batts are usually made from fiberglass or rock wool. Loose fill is usually made of fiberglass, rock wool or wood cellulose. Cellulose is usually made from recycled newsprint and treated with fire resistant chemicals. Rigid foam boards are made from poly-isocyanurate,extruded polystyrene or other materials.

State and local building codes usually require a minimum amount of insulation. In warmer climates that may be adequate but probably not, measure your insulation if there is less than R-22 (7 inches of fiberglass or rock wool, 6 inches of cellulose) you can probably benefit from adding more.

General Air Sealing

Warm air leaking into the house in summer and out in winter can waste a lot of energy dollars. air infiltrates in and out of your house in through every nook, crack an cranny. caulking sealing and weather stripping can save substantial dollars. I suggest starting with the attic, keeping warm moist air from infiltrating into the attic is very important. Especially if it isn’t well ventilated. Moisture can cause severe damage to your home. Seal the attic access plumbing and electrical penetrations. Careful not to seal anything that can trap heat and cause a fire hazard, such as recessed light fixtures. Start with the largest leaks and and work your way down to the smaller ones. Most people know their home well enough to know where its leaking air just seal those leaks.  A valuable tool for finding and measuring air leakage is a blower door. The idea is to put the home in winter condition ie: doors and windows closed and depressurize the home by sealing  a large fan into the doorway and measure the amount of air that flows though it at a certain pressure then calculating air changes per hour and the amount of air leakage that exists in the home under natural conditions. A blower door is an expensive piece of equipment but you can probably find a contractor that has one, or the local agency that operates the low income weatherization program will probably run a test for you for a fee. It’s worth checking out.