1. Wrap it up. In the winter, room air conditioners installed in windows can be a source of cold drafts. Remove window units during cold months or insulate them with tight-fitting A/C covers, available from most local home-improvement stores. |
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2. Nix the night lights. Install motion sensors, photocell controls or timers so outdoor lights are only on when needed. Reduce light pollution and keep the night sky darker by using light fixtures that direct light downward instead of toward the sky. |
3. Foiled again. In hot summer climates, attic radiant barriers can help keep homes comfortable and reduce cooling bills. Made of a reflective foil, radiant barriers block the transfer of the radiant heat from a hot roof into the attic. In the Southeast, radiant barriers can reduce cooling costs by 8% to 12%, according to the Florida Solar Energy Center. |
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4. Paint your home green. The air in our homes can be two t five times more polluted than outdoor air. One of the major culprits? Volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, that are released from paint, particleboard and other home-improvement products. Most major paint manufacturers now make low-VOC paints, and some offer zero-VOC paints. |
5. Prevent energy-wasting air leaks. To stop drafts, install weather-stripping around doors and caulk cracks around windows. Check the heating and cooling systems' ducts to make sure all joints are connected and well sealed. Use a mastic sealant or foil-backed tape to seal ducts. |
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6. Breathe easy. Carbon monoxide is called the silent killer because it's colorless and odorless. If you have a fuel-burning appliance inside the home, such as a gas stove, furnace, water heater, fireplace or clothes dryer, be safe and install a UL-listed carbon monoxide detector on each floor. |
7. The M word. To keep mold at bay, use your bathroom and kitchen ventilation fans. To be effective, fans need to vent to the outdoors and Energy Star products are more efficient, quieter and last longer. |
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8. Solar-powered attic fans exhaust hot air and help keep your home comfortable while reducing cooling costs. An added benefit: No need for electrical wiring, so installation is straigh forward. |
9. Audit it. A home energy audit helps you assess how your home uses energy and prioritize actions you can take to make it more efficient and comfortable. To get started, try Energy Star's Home Energy Yardstick (energystar.gov). |
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10. Water is the new oil. Consider repurposing water for irrigation. Graywater systems typically recycle wash water from sinks, tubs, showers and clothes washers. Rainwater harvesting systems direct rainwater from the roof into barrels or above or underground tanks. |
11. Light at the end of the tunnel. Brighten up dark hallways, bathrooms and other spaces with tubular skylights. They let in daylight without the excess heat and are relatively easy and affordable to install. |
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12. Got WaterSense? If a family of four replaces their 3.5 gallon-per-flush toilets made before 1994 with a WaterSense-labeled toilet, they could save $90 a year and as much as $2,000 over the toilet's life. Find out more at epa.gov/watersense |
13. Automate it. Reduce energy bills by as much as $150 a year with a programmable thermostat that adjusts the temperature when you leave the house or go to sleep. |
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14. Double up. To keep heat inside during winter and outside in the summer, choose double-pane windows with an appropriate low-e coating. For help choosing the right window for your climate, go to efficientwindows.org |
15. If you have incandescent light fixtures where you can't or don't want to use compact florescent bulbs, install dimmer switches. Dimming shaves a bit off an incandescent bulb's energy use and makes the bulb last longer (Note: Most compact florescent bulbs can't be used with dimmer switches). |
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16. Be radiant. Radiant floor heating systems are a boon to indoor air quality because unlike forced-air systems, they don't blow dust and other allergens around. Thanks to warm water circulating in flexible tubing installed under the floor, heat radiates evenly up through the floor, providing quiet, even warmth while using less energy. |
17. Harvest the sun. In regions with abundant sunshine and high energy costs, solar systems are gaining ground. Solar electric systems can offset some or all of your home's electricity use, while solar water heating systems can heat water for sinks, showers, laundry, home heating, pools and spas. A variety of federal, state and local incentives are making renewable-energy systems more affordable. For a directory of incentives by state go to dsireusa.org |
