Air conditioning costs are the biggest part of the average household’s electricity bill.   In warmer regions, AC can amount to 60 - 70% of the electric cost.   If you want to reduce your energy bills look into your cooling costs first.  Here are some top tips: Read more »

In the winter the largest part of your utility bills go to heat your house.  There are ways to reduce these costs without being uncomfortable.

1. Close the heat vents to any rooms you rarely use.  No point in paying to heat unused rooms.
2. Lower the thermostat to the lowest comfortable temperature.  Wear a sweater and lower it even more.
3. Do not turn off the heat while you are gone.  The energy it takes to reheat the place when you get home wipes out any savings from having it completely off.
4. If you spend most of your evenings in the living room use a small space heater to heat only that room and turn down the central heat.  Use a small portable heater in your bedroom at night.
5. Replace the filters in your heating unit every 3 months.  Get a reusable washable one and save even more.
6. Seal door and window gaps with weather stripping.  Re-caulk windows if needed.  Also seal the attic door as if it was an exterior door.
7. Install flexible door seals at the bottom of all exterior doors to seal out drafts.
8. If you have a window AC unit, caulk or tape around the perimeter or better yet remove it for the winter.
9. If you have a fireplace you do not use, seal it off to cut heat loss.
10. Add extra insulation to your attic and exterior walls if needed. A few hundred dollars of insulation could save you as much as 20-30% on your heating bill.
11. Never leave bathroom or kitchen ventilation systems on for more than a minute or two.  In just an hour they can suck all the warm air out of your house, putting a strain on your heating system to reheat the whole house.
12. Install a programmable thermostat.  Set it to go down at night while you are asleep and also while you are away at work.