Ways to Save Money and the Environment

Here are some great ways you can go Power Smart in your own home.

Heating

• Install a programmable setback thermostat.
• Have your heating equipment cleaned and inspected annually.
• Clean or replace furnace filters as often as once a month during the heating season.
• Install a ground source heat pump instead of electric heat.
• Keep supply-air registers and return-air grills clear of furniture, drapes, and rugs.
• Vacuum dust that collects inside and under baseboard heaters.
• Do not block baseboard heaters with furniture or drapes.
• Turn down the heat in seldom used rooms.
• Improve the efficiency of your ductwork by sealing leaks with duct tape or sealant.
• When your fireplace is not in use, close the damper to prevent heat from escaping up the chimney.

Doors

• Weatherstrip around doors, or try adjusting the weatherstripping if you already have it.
• Caulk joints where the door frame meets the siding.
• Replace hollow core or wood exterior doors with insulated metal doors.
• Choose a door with little or no window area.
• Choose a storm door with a screened, sliding window for summertime ventilation.

Windows

• Seal behind the trim around windows.
• Replace windows with triple pane models to save energy and reduce condensation.
• Use blinds on hot sunny days.

Houses

• Build a Power Smart Silver, Gold or R-2000 home.
• Add insulation to poorly insulated areas of your home.
• Make the most energy-efficient renovations with the help of a Power Smart eco-ENERGY In Home Energy Evaluation.
• Install a heat recovery ventilator.
• Seal typical air leakage paths in rooms, such as baseboards on outside walls, cracks in the wall finish, and electrical, mechanical, and plumbing penetrations.
• Use approved foam gaskets to block air leaking in or out around electrical wall outlets and wall switches.
• Seal typical air leakage paths in attics, such as around the plumbing stack, around the chimney, at ceiling light fixtures or electrical wires, and around the attic hatch.
• Install a ceiling fan for cooling in summer and warming in winter.
• Ensure that your attic is adequately ventilated for a cooler house in summer and less risk of ice dams in winter.
• Close closet doors to reduce heating to storage spaces.

Other

• Switch off electronics such as televisions, videos, and DVD players instead of leaving them on.
• If you charge a cell-phone, digital camera, or other battery-operated item, take it off the charger and unplug the charger once it is fully charged.