Heating

	Seal ductwork leaks.
	Use thermostats correctly to lower bills. Heat pumps and furnaces differ. Heat your home only during the time you actually need the heat. When using a furnace, turn back the thermostat when you are sleeping or when nobody is home. Programmable thermostats can be programmed to do this automatically. For heat pumps it may be better to leave your thermostat alone unless you have a "smart" thermostat.
	Close crawl space vents in winter. Open them in the spring. Attics need ventilation all year long. Don't close attic vents.
	Caulk and weatherstrip against drafts. Install foam insulation gaskets under outlet and light switch plates. Weatherstip doors and windows. Caulk all cracks or leaks on the living side of all ceilings, floors, and walls. The most cost effective way to lower your heating bill is to reduce the rate at which your home loses hot air or allows cold air to come in. The warm air leaks from the house through cracks. When added together, cracks can represent a hole in the house that is as much as four square feet in area. Infiltration often accounts for 20% to 30% of the total heat loss in the home. Although some degree of ventilation is necessary to maintain good air quality, most homes can benefit from a substantial decrease in air leaks. Caulking cracks and penetrations in the home can reduce air leaks relatively inexpensively and easily. Caulk is a compound used to seal cracks between fixed components of the home. Cracks are commonly found around door and window frames, at joints in the siding, between fireplaces and siding, between the porch and house, where siding meets the foundation, around eaves and molding, and areas around vents, electrical outlets, or water faucets. Inside the home, look for cracks or openings around water pipes and drains, where the furnace flue goes through the ceiling, around light fixtures, and around the attic entry.
	Keep fireplace dampers closed when not needed. Fireplaces can increase heating costs if they are inefficient. Warm air will rise up the chimney and escape when the fireplace is not being used. This often cancels the benefits of the heat from the fire. Fireplaces with glass doors are more efficient.
	Increase comfort without changing the thermostat. You feel cold by windows because your body heat radiates to cold windows. Closing draperies stops this radiant body heat loss and increase your comfort without increasing air temperature.
	Add insulation. Code for attics is R-38 (10 inches to 17 inches depending on type of insulation). This saves on cooling costs too. Code for floors is R-30 (10 inches of fiberglass batt) for electric resistance heated homes. It is R-19 (6 inches) if heated with a heat pump. Walls should be full of insulation. New homes require a minimum of R-19 wall insulation.
	Clean or change furnace and air-conditioning filters regularly. For heat pumps this is a must to get high efficiency and long life. Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators as needed. Open doors and arrange furniture, curtains, and drapes so the airflow from heat registers is not blocked.
	Improve windows. Seal up cracks. Install new weatherstripping. Replace with new double pane, low -E, vinyl or wood framed windows. Saving money considerations.

Cooling

	Turn air conditioners off if you are going to be gone more than four hours.
	Increase attic ventilation. Attic temperatures can exceed 140 degrees in attics with inadequate ventilation.
	Grow deciduous shade trees on the south side of the house. We have a book on tree selection. Would you like one? It's easy, just email us with "Send Me Your Tree Selection Book" as the subject line of your message. Be sure to include your complete mailing address in the body of your email. As always, please remember trees under power lines can be dangerous.
	Circulate air inside house with fans. The air movement increases the cooling of the body by evaporating moisture on the skin.
	Clean or replace air filters regularly (usually monthly). This is critical for giving your heat pump a long life.
	Keep the sun outside with shades. Drapes help too. Closing draperies can help keep rooms cooler in the summer. However outside shading is much more effective.
	Shade air-conditioner.