Insulate the ceiling and wall even
if you don’t finish the walls.
Adjust the garage door to close
tight.
Keep the garage door closed when
not using.
Repair or replace the garage door
if needed.
Keep any windows tightly closed
and locked.
Keep walk through doors closed and
locked when not in use.
If you have an older home that has
not had the insulation updated, have an insulation contractor check
to see if your insulation has settled and its insulating properties
reduced.
Have a contractor inspect your vents to see that
they are clear of any insulating material and that there is enough
ventilation for your attic.
Add additional vents if recommended.
Add insulation if recommended.
A minimum of R-30 is recommended for most parts
of the country. (The “R” refers to the ability of a material to
resist the flow of heat. The higher the R number, the greater the
insulating value).
Install a radiant barrier. A
radiant barrier is craft paper with aluminum foil on one or both
sides. It may be installed by laying it on top of your present
insulation or by stapling it to your roof rafters. It will reflect
heat away from your house in summer and back into your house in
winter. Check with a contractor in your area to see how best to
install it to prevent moisture build up. Depending on where you
live, radiant barrier can save you from ten to thirty percent on
your heating and cooling bill. A radiant barrier will also help to
reduce maintenance of heating and cooling systems and will add
comfort and value to your house.
BATHROOMS
Repair any water leaks in
fixtures.
Install a water saving
showerhead.
Reduce water pressure in sink to
save on water and sewer cost.
If you have an old toilet that
uses five gallons to flush, reduce the amount of water to flush by
adjusting the water fill arm or float to a lower level or take a
half gallon milk carton and fill it with water and place it in your
tank. This will save you at least one half gallon of water each time
you flush and over one year it will save you hundreds of
gallons.
Replace your toilet with a new
water saving toilet.
Showers use less water that
baths.
Electric razors are more energy
and cost efficient to operate than safety razors and
water.
BEDROOMS
Check vents to make sure that they
are clear of objects or furniture.
If your room is not being used,
close the vent or turn off the heat except for heat
pumps.
Install insulated blinds, shades
or curtains that will reduce heat coming through windows.
Install heat reflecting film on
window glass if cost effective.
If you have and old heating
system, investigate a new, more efficient system but only if it will
pay for itself in savings.
Cover and seal around wall air
conditioners in winter months.
HOT WATER HEATER
Reduce the
temperature on the thermostat (2) to 120 degrees.
Install a water heater timer to
turn the heater off at night or for hours that no one is using hot
water.
Install on/off switch next to the
water heater and turn off when away for two days or more. You may
use your circuit breaker for this if it is convenient.
Install an insulation blanket
around your water heater. These are available at most building
supply stores.
When your water heater needs to be
replaced, replace it with an energy saver type.
When building or remodeling place
the water heater nearest to the point of greatest
use.
KITCHENS
Repair or replace leaking
faucets.
Reduce the water pressure in the
sinks to lower water and sewer cost.
Use cold water when using
disposal.
Run only full loads in the
dishwasher.
Use the microwave or toaster oven
for warming small meals.
Install florescent lighting in the
ceiling.
Adjust refrigerator temperatures
for efficiency.
Do not leave appliances on any
longer than necessary
.
LIGHTING
Replace kitchen, garage or basement lights with
florescent lights.
Replace high wattage bulbs with lower wattage
bulbs where brightness is not important.
Replace burned out light bulbs
with energy savings light bulbs.
Turn out lights when they are not
needed.
LANDSCAPING
Trees and shrubbery properly placed can reduce your
heating and cooling costs. If you do not know how to place
landscaping for saving energy, then contact a landscape company for
suggestions.
LAUNDRY AREAS
Use cold water to wash whenever
possible.
If your washer does not have a
water level adjustment then wash full loads whenever
possible.
Vent dryer to the
outside.
When the washer needs to be
replaced, replace it with a water saving model.
Use an outside close line for
drying in good weather.
SIDINGS AND ROOFS
Aluminum or vinyl siding should
not be considered as an energy saving addition to your house because
they are not cost effective and will not pay themselves in savings.
These sidings should be installed for enhancing the looks of your
house or to reduce ongoing maintenance only.
Wood or masonite siding should be
repaired and maintained for energy efficiency.
When re-roofing your house,
install a light or medium colored roof to reflect heat away from
your house.
Investigate the price of a 25-year
roof when re-roofing. The amount of increase in price over a 20-year
roof may save your money over a period of time and increase the
value or your house.
SOLAR
Solar hot water heaters and solar
furnaces are not cost effective unless they are designed and built
into the house when the house is built.
If remodeling and you have more
than one window in a bedroom, consider removing them.
If you are building or remodeling
put the closets on outside walls.
Electric blankets will allow you
to lower your house temperature at night.
CEILING FANS AND WHOLE HOUSE FANS
Install ceiling fans in large
rooms or rooms with high ceiling to circulate air and to use heat
and air conditioning more effectively.
Use whole house fans to bring in
cool air from the outside and reduce air conditioning
cost.
Ceiling fans vary widely in cost
so shop wisely to make sure that you will be getting a good value
and are going to be saving money.
CRAWL SPACE ON BASEMENT
Check your crawl space for
moisture. If moisture is found, locate the problem and repair
it.
Install moisture barrier in crawl
space that you can get from your local building supply
company.
Check vent doors to see if they
fit tight or need to be repaired or replaced. (In some parts of the
country it is recommended that vents remain open year round to
prevent moisture).
Check crawl space door to make
sure it closes tightly.
Repair any floor insulation that
has come loose.
Wrap water pipes with
insulation.
Check heating ducts for
leaks.
DOORS, WINDOWS AND
GLASS DOORS
Install heat-reflecting film on
windows and glass doors.
Check every door and window for
air leaks. If any leaks are found, repair immediately. Caulk or
weather-strip when needed.
If you have single pane windows
and do not have storm windows, investigate the cost of installing
them. Price varies, so shop wisely.
Install storm doors if
needed.
Check doors thresholds to see if
they need to be replaced.
Do not install replacement windows
for the purpose of saving money. The cost of replacement by far
exceeds any savings. Replacement windows should only be installed to
add looks or value to your house.
Single pane glass sliding doors
should be replaced with double pane doors or by an insulated shut
door.
If a sliding door faces the sun,
put up curtains or blinds to block the sun and to reduce cooling
cost.
FIREPLACES AND WOOD STOVES
Always close the damper when the
fireplace is not in use.
Install a glass door on an open
fireplace.
Turn back the thermostat on
heating system when using the fireplace.
Investigate the purchase of a
heatolator if you want to use a fireplace for heating your
house.
If you do not have to purchase the
wood, consider a wood burning stove.
Wood stoves come in many price
ranges so buy one that will pay for itself in savings.
Have a safety check made of your
chimney every year or two to prevent the possibility of chimney
fires.
HEATING AND COOLING
SYSTEMS
Have maintenance done regularly to help avoid
major repairs.
Keep filters clean and change as
recommended.
Reduce the temperature if leaving the house for
long periods in cooler months.
Install solar equipment only if you can prove
that it will pay for itself in savings.
If you have rooms that are not
being used and you can turn off the heat in those rooms then do
so.
Better insulation and management
of present equipment will often be a better investment for your
money.
THERMOSTATS
Thermostats
should be checked for accuracy if they are over ten years old or do
not function properly.
Investigate electronic,
programmable thermostats if you are away a lot.
70 to 74 degrees are the most
efficient temperature for most houses. Every degree above or below
this range will increase your heating or cooling cost about three
percent.
Turn down heat setting to sixty
degrees if away for two days or more.
WALLS AND FLOORS
When remodeling, reduce the number
or size of windows if possible. A window should be considered as a
hole in your wall.
Install solid wood paneling on the
inside of an outside wall of at least 3/8ths-inch thickness for
added insulation.
If your floors are not insulated,
install R-19 insulation batts under the floor if you have a crawl
space.
Window areas should be only about
5 percent of the total floor square footage of the house.
Install carpet over bare floors
for extra insulation.
