Take a walk through your home with this checklist and it will help you check off wasteful energy use conditions and habits.
• Insulate your walls, ceilings and floors to at least R-12, R-30 and R-19, respectively.
• Install thermopane or storm windows/doors if they are not already on your home.
• Make sure all external doors and windows are weather stripped or caulked to seal off air leaks.
• Insulate heating and air conditioning duct work with at least 2 inches of insulation.
• Provide at least 1 square foot of free exhaust from the attic for every 150 square feet of attic space.
• Install a tight-fitting damper in your fireplace flue.
• Replace or clean the filters in your heating and air conditioning system on a regular basis, and have a qualified HVAC mechanic service the unit at least once a year.
• When buying a new heating or air conditioning system, choose one that is highly efficient and properly sized for your home.
• If you have a heat pump, set the thermostat on a constant setting appropriate for the season and leave it there, avoiding daily adjustments.
• Use the sun’s heat in the winter to help warm a room by opening curtains or shades.
• Locate your thermostat on an inside wall, away from drafts, sunlight or other heat sources.
• If using window air conditioning units, install them on the shady side of the house when possible.
• Lower thermostat settings in the winter and raise them in the summer.
• Install a clock thermostat on your HVAC system (if it’s not a heat pump) so that settings are automatically adjusted when you are at work or in bed.
• Clean HVAC registers to ensure unrestricted air flow.
• Plant trees and pull down the shades on east and west-facing windows to reduce the amount of heat entering your home through the windows in the summer.