Make every room in the house more efficient
Save energy throughout your entire house by following a few simple tips. From the living room to the home office and beyond, there are savings to be had all over your home.
In the entire house
- Set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower in the winter and 78 degrees or higher in the summer. Set it even higher (80-83 degrees in summer) or lower (62-65 degrees in winter) when you'll be away from home for an extended period.
- Consider installing a programmable or smart thermostat. This will allow you to raise or lower the temperature settings automatically when you're asleep or remotely when you're away from home. Make sure the thermostat is compatible with your HVAC system and is installed correctly.
- Check air filters monthly and change them as needed or according to manufacturer guidelines.
- Keep HVAC vents and interior doors open to keep air flowing freely to and from the unit.
- Have your central heating and cooling system serviced annually by a professional. This can extend the life of the system while maintaining optimum efficiency.
- Unplug appliances, lights, TVs, computers, etc. when not in use.
- Caulk, seal, and weather-strip around all seams, cracks and openings to protect against drafts. Pay special attention to windows and exterior doors.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact fluorescent (CFLs) or light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs, which use up to 75% less energy.
- Periodically check your ductwork for leaks or tears, and repair fallen or crushed ducts with mastic (a plaster-like substance found at your local hardware store) to seal leaks.
- Install advanced power strips, which include built-in features to significantly reduce the amount of energy used by plugged-in items when not in use.
- Install a door sweep to seal the gap between the bottom of your door and the threshold to prevent outside air from coming in and conditioned air from escaping from your home.
- Add weather-stripping or caulk around windows, doors, exhaust fans and other places where wires or pipes pass through walls.
In the living room
- Turn off lights when you leave the room
- Use dimmer switches, timers and three-way lamps.
- Close the damper in your fireplace when it is not in use.
In the kitchen and laundry rooms
- Look for the ENERGY STAR label on home appliances and products, which verifies that the products meet strict efficiency guidelines set by the EPA.
- Use a toaster oven instead of a large conventional oven, when possible.
- Boil water in a pot with a lid.
- Use pots and pans that fully cover the stove's heating element.
- Keep your refrigerator set between 33-39 degrees, and your freezer as full as possible.
- Don't place a refrigerator right next to an oven.
- Run the dishwasher only when full, and either use the energy-savings setting for drying or let dishes air dry.
- When doing laundry, use warm or cold water for washing and cold water for rinsing.
- Wash and dry full loads of clothes.
- Use an automatic clothes-drying cycle that senses when clothes are dry, instead of a timed cycle.
- Keep the dryer's lint filter clean for greater efficiency.
In the bedroom
- If you like to fall asleep to the television, set a sleep timer to turn it off.
- Make sure furniture and drapes aren't blocking the air supply vents.
- Unplug your electric space heater when not in use.
In the bathroom
- Seal air leaks where pipes come through the wall, under toilets and sinks.
- Install low-flow shower heads and faucets to reduce energy and hot water use.
- Repair leaky faucets.
- Turn off running water when shaving or brushing your teeth.
In the attic or utility room
- Upgrade your attic insulation to a minimum R value (the measure of insulation's ability to resist heat) of R-38, typically 12-14 inches of insulation.
- Insulate around recessed lights, attic doors and other places where outdoor air could enter.
- Lower the water heater temperature to 120-125 degrees (or "medium" for gas models), and visually inspect the unit for leaks periodically.
- Insulate your water heater with a water heater blanket.
- Insulate water pipes coming form the water heater.
In the home office
- Set your computer to enter energy saving (sleep) mode to automatically lower power consumption if you're away from the computer for a certain period of time.
- If you find you need to purchase new office equipment look for the ENERGY STAR label on office products such as printer and scanners. Consider purchasing from a buy-back company that sells used and refurbished equipment, or recycle or trade in your old gear for new.
- Use an advanced power strip, since your home office setup likely incorporates multiple pieces of equipment. Advanced power strips help to ensure these devices aren't drawing power when they're not in use.
- A desk lamp is usually more efficient than overhead lighting.
- Turn off the lights and take advantage of natural light when possible.
- Unplug your cell phone or any other device once it's fully charged.
