Make Your Home More Energy Efficient

There are many steps you can take to make your home a greener one, no matter the weather. Cut your energy costs by following these efficiency steps year round.

• Update your insulation. This helps keep cool air in your home during summer months and warm air in during the winter.
• Invest in a smart or programmable thermostat. With a programmable thermostat, you can set the temperatures to automatically adjust for when you are home and when you are away. A smart version learns your habits and implements them. Many models know when you aren’t home and heats or cools accordingly.
• Make use of ceiling fans, and make sure they are circulating air in the correct direction for the season. Ceiling fans should operate in a counter-clockwise direction during warm months and in a clockwise direction during cold months.
• Use curtains or window blinds to your advantage. Close curtains or blinds in the summer when the sun is out to keep the room cool, and leave them open in the winter to let the heat from the sun warm up the room.
• Seal cracks around the house to reduce heat loss in the winter and cool air loss in the summer by using caulking and weather-stripping around windows and doors.
• Replace older style bulbs with energy efficient versions.
• Adjust your own habits to increase efficiency. Turn off lights when leaving a room, set computers to go into sleep mode when not in use, and make sure nothing in your home is covering vents. This allows for continued air flow and reduces the work for the furnace or air conditioning unit.

For more information on energy efficiency and safety, visit SafeElectricity.org.