Warm Up with ENERGY STAR This Season

Maintaining your HVAC system can save you big on your utility bills and your comfort. As much as half your home energy bill goes to heating and cooling.

• Check your furnace’s air filter once a month, especially during the heavy-use months of winter. A dirty filter slows air flow, making the system work harder which wastes energy. If it’s dirty, clean or replace it. At a minimum, clean or replace it every three months.
• Sealing and insulating air ducts, especially those in your attic or crawlspace, helps keep the heat where you want it and can improve your HVAC system’s efficiency by as much as 10%.
• Consider a yearly professional tune-up of your HVAC system.
• If you need to replace your HVAC system, ask your contractor about ENERGY STAR certified units. And make sure that your new energy-efficient unit is properly installed for maximum savings.

If you do not yet have a programmable thermostat, you need to get one – and then program it for savings.

• All you have to do is set it up to match your schedule. This way you avoid heating your house when you don’t need to, saving you about $180 a year! To maximize savings without sacrificing comfort, program your thermostat to lower the heat by 8 degrees F or more when you’re away from home or asleep. It’s just that easy. Check out this video for more information on programming for savings.

Choose ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs.

• Many of us have heard about the outstanding energy efficiency provided by LED lighting. But LED bulbs are not all the same when it comes to performance. To get the energy efficiency and performance you expect, look for the ENERGY STAR label. LED bulbs that earn the label are independently certified to ensure they deliver on brightness and color, and shine light where you want it. ENERGY STAR LED lighting comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles for all your home needs, including light strings for the holidays. Watch these videos to see how popular Vloggers used ENERGY STAR certified lighting to create beautiful, functional and energy-efficient home décor.

You can even save energy and money during the season while watching your favorite teams with ENERGY STAR certified electronics!

• A home equipped with TVs, set-top boxes, a Blu-ray player and a home theatre in a box that have earned the ENERGY STAR, can save more than $185 over the life of the products.
• If you’re streaming video, laptops and tablets use the least amount of energy. If you are using another device, like a Blu-ray player, choose equipment that has earned the ENERGY STAR.
• And, don’t forget, holiday season is right around the corner and the best gifts do great things, and are good for the environment. ENERGY STAR electronics, including TVs, sound bars, speaker docks, computers, printers, monitors, cordless phones, and more, make great gifts. ENERGY STAR certified electronics go beyond the latest features and functions to deliver great energy efficiency.