- A home energy audit is a process where the home is inspected to find areas where the home is losing energy. An inspection is done to determine the home's heating and cooling system's efficiency. It also can show ways to conserve water and electricity. This audit can be done you or a professional energy auditor.
- There are several small things you can do around the house to save energy. Unplug appliances you're not using. Wash your clothes in cold water. Vacuum the coils under your refrigerator once a month. Turn off the computer if you're not going to use it for at least an hour or set it to "sleep" when you haven't touched it for a few minutes. Set your hot water heater to 120 degrees. Turn off the lights when you leave a room. Turn the water off when you're brushing your teeth and in other situations, don't leave the water running.
- These strategies will cost you money in the short term, but can pay for themselves in energy savings in the future. Put in storm windows in the winter to keep heat in. Switch all light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs. Insulate hot water pipes. Replace furnace, air conditioner and heat pump filters. Get a programmable thermostat and set it to 65 to 68 degrees during the day and 50 to 60 at night during the winter. Install low-flow showerheads and faucets. Seal and insulate heating ducts. Caulk cracks around windows and doors. Use solar lighting outdoors.
- To make a really big impact on your home energy savings, these strategies require more time and money, but will pay off in the long run. Replace your old appliances with new Energy Star rated appliances. Replace single pane windows with double-pane low-E windows. Plant trees around your house to provide shade, which will lower heating costs. Insulate your home, especially the attic where the most heat can be lost. Purchase a gas or solar tankless water heater. Install strategically placed skylights. Get your home retrofitted to accommodate a solar energy system.
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