Save Energy this Winter with Help from ENERGY STAR

The average American household spends $1,900 annually on energy bills…a number that may go up as much as 50% this year.

• Almost half of that energy goes to heating and cooling your home.
• Lighting and appliances represent about a quarter, and
• Home electronic products like computers, TVs and cell phone chargers take a significant and growing share of what is left.

Each of us can take action today to reduce energy use at home this winter, while still staying comfortable. These small steps, taken together, can make a big difference in terms of lowering our national energy bill and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Seal up your home.

Why?

One of the most cost-effective ways to reduce energy bills, reduce uncomfortable cold drafts, and avoid potential moisture problems in the winter is to air-seal holes, cracks and openings in your home and then add insulation to stop the flow of heat through the walls and ceiling.

How:

• Weather-strip and insulate your attic hatch or door to prevent warm air from escaping out the top of your house.
• Seal holes in the attic that lead down into the house, such as open wall tops and duct, plumbing, or electrical runs. Any hole that leads from a basement or crawlspace to an attic is a big energy waster. Cover and seal them with spray foam and rigid foam board if necessary.
• Seal holes with caulk or spray foam where pipes, wires, and vents enter or exit your home through walls. Be sure to check behind and under sinks!
• Caulk window frames and door frames inside the home with clear or color matched caulk to reduce drafts. Use long-lasting exterior caulk outside the home where a window or door frame meets brick, wood, or siding.
• Weather-strip doors and windows that do not seal tightly. Use foam gaskets around electrical outlets (under the plates) to reduce drafts.
• There are many more steps either you or a contractor could take to improve the warmth and comfort of your home through air sealing and insulating. For more ideas on how to seal and insulate right, consult EPA's Home Sealing Do-it-yourself guide (1.79MB).

Heat your home smartly.

Why?

Your heating system works hard during the winter to keep you warm. When it is working at top performance and your heating ducts are delivering warm air to your rooms effectively, you will be more comfortable and save money.

How:

• Replace your furnace's air filter before the heating season begins. A dirty filter will reduce air flow which makes your system work harder to deliver air to the registers. Also, cover the filter slot with a piece of wide tape to keep air from getting in around filter edges without passing through the filter.
• If your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, consider ENERGY STAR qualified equipment to help save on energy bills. New equipment has advanced technology to deliver higher efficiency and since furnaces and boilers run on electricity, gas, or fuel oil, you'll want to have the most efficient system to deliver the greatest savings.
• Be sure your ducts are delivering all the warm air they can. If you can see the duct seams where the metal comes together, seal these joints with shiny foil tape with a UL-181 label (this label is very important) or duct mastic (also called duct sealant). This is especially true for the ducts that you can see in your basement or attic.
• You can also take off the duct registers in your rooms (back out 2 screws) and check the connection between the duct and the drywall - you may see a gap. This gap allows heated air to escape into the walls. Cover this gap with foil tape or fill it with duct mastic. Also with the register off, check for any other gaps that would allow the heated air to flow behind the walls. If there is a gap or hole, seal it up!
• If you have any ducts that run into the attic or through a cold basement or crawl space, be sure the ducts are well insulated. If the insulation is missing or falling off, most home improvement stores sell insulation designed to insulate ducts. Try to insulate to at least an R-6. Be sure to seal any leaks in the ducts first, then wrap the duct in insulation. If you have flex-duct (shiny metal flexible duct tubes), be sure there are no rips or tears and the ducts are as straight as possible.
• Set back your thermostat when you're asleep or away. When used properly, an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat with 4-temperature and time settings can save you $100 each year on energy costs.
• Call a heating contractor to service your system. Fall is a good time to have a service technician look at your heating system to make sure that it is running properly to keep you warm this winter without adding unnecessary costs. Ask your contractor to also check your duct system.
• For more advice on heating efficiently and sealing your ducts, consult EPA's Guide to Energy-Efficient Heating and Cooling (2.6MB) en espanol — Guía para la Eficiencia de Energía en la Calefacción y el Aire Acondicionado (2.5MB) and EPA's Duct Sealing Brochure (2.73MB).

Change a light.

Why?

Lighting our homes can represent 20 percent of home electricity bills and is one of the easiest places to start saving energy. If every household changed a light to an ENERGY STAR one, together we'd save enough energy to light 7 million homes and reduce greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that of 1 million cars.

How:

• Replace the five most frequently used lights, or the bulbs in them, with one's that have earned the ENERGY STAR, and save more than $60 each year in energy costs.
• Start with one light and take the ENERGY STAR Change a Light Pledge.

Power down computers and electronics when not in use.

Why?

Computers and other electronics account for an increasing energy load in most homes, and often use energy even when switched off.

How:

• Activate your computer's power management features, so it powers down when sitting idle.
• Unplug battery chargers and power adapters when they finish charging, or are not in use.
• Consider using a power strip that can be turned off at bedtime or when you're done using your computers, printers, wireless routers, and other electronics.

Look for products that have earned the ENERGY STAR.

Why?

The government's ENERGY STAR is on products in more than 50 product categories for the home, including lighting, home electronics, heating and cooling equipment and appliances. ENERGY STAR qualified products provide the features and performance you want while helping you save energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

How:

• Look for ENERGY STAR qualified products when you are in the market for new products for your home.
• Check with your local utility about rebates or use our special offers finder.

More Things to Consider this Winter:

• Remember your ceiling fan. Use your ceiling fan to not only keep you comfortable but also allow you to adjust your thermostat for more energy savings. Reverse the spin of the fan (most fans have a small switch) and set it on the slowest speed to help send warm air down to the living area. When shopping for a ceiling fan, look for an energy-efficient model.
• Get some sun. Open your window shades and drapes to let the sun's natural warmth in during the day. At night, close them to help insulate your windows against heat loss.
• Save on hot water. Set your hot water temperature at the "normal" setting — no higher than 120 degrees F. This can cut your water heating costs by 10%. Second, if your water heater is pretty old, make a quick trip to the hardware store or home improvement center for an insulation kit to wrap your water heater and save even more on water heating costs. (New water heaters are better insulated and may not require an insulation kit). Third, place pipe insulation on the hot water pipe that carries the heated water from the water heater — especially in cold basements or closets.
• Put Your Home to the Test. Use online tools to evaluate your home's energy performance and identify solutions to increase comfort and energy efficiency. Have your utility bills handy for savings calculations.