Save on Heating Costs with ENERGY STAR This Season

Sealing air leaks all around your home and adding insulation in easy to access places can save you up to 10% on your heating bills.  Here are some basic tips:

• The biggest air leaks are typically hidden in your attic and basement or crawl space.  Holes around your attic hatch, plumbing vent, chimney or flue, and around heating or cooling ducts tend to cause the most losses. Seal these with caulk and spray foam. Use high temperature caulk and metal flashing around chimneys or flues that can get hot.
• To reduce drafts in your living space, install weather stripping on doors and windows.  Caulk baseboards, outlets on outer walls, and along the sill plate outside where your walls meet the foundation.
• After sealing leaks in the attic or basement, check your attic insulation level. A good rule of thumb is that if the insulation level is just up to the top of the attic floor joists, you have less than half the recommended insulation levels for most locations in the U.S. Learn how measuring and improving your attic insulation can help you “Rule Your Attic!” this winter.

ENERGY STAR certified storm windows can be a great solution for homeowners who have single-pane windows in good condition and cannot afford to replace their windows or are limited by historic preservation requirements.  ENERGY STAR storm windows cost less than replacement windows and use low-emissivity glass which boosts energy savings in the winter. They are designed to reduce air leaks and drafts around windows which improves comfort, come in a variety of options, and are 3^rd-party certified to meet the strict performance requirements of the program.

Maintaining your HVAC system can save you big on utility bills and comfort.

• 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.

• Ready for a replacement? Consider installing ENERGY STAR certified HVAC equipment.

  • Learn the symptoms that it’s time to replace your equipment, get purchase and installation guidance, find rebates, and calculate your personalized savings possibilities.www.energystar.gov/HVACguide

  • Replace traditional HVAC equipment with an ENERGY STAR certified air source heat pump (ASHP). If you are planning a replacement, ASHPs are not only more efficient than furnaces or boilers, but they serve double duty with heating and cooling, making this investment usable year-round. 

Water heaters are the second highest source of energy usage in the home. If your water heater is over 10 years old, don’t wait for it to fail.  A new ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heater can save more than $300 a year in energy costs plus even more with federal tax credits and rebates now available from participating utilities. All this adds up to big savings for you and the environment. Warm up to savings with ENERGY STAR today!

Visit EPA’s Water Heater Replacement Guide to find out if an ENERGY STAR certified heat pump water heater is right for your home. You’ll find a list of installation considerations with links to products, rebates and installers in your area.