In the average American household, almost half of the annual energy bill goes to heating and cooling – more than $900 a year. This season, fall into energy savings with heating tips from ENERGY STAR and enjoy lower energy bills, increased home comfort, and the warm feeling that comes from knowing you’re helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions and making a difference in the environment for your family and generations to come.
STAY WARM AND SAVE MONEY
CHOOSE YOUR SMART THERMOSTAT
SEE HOW YOU MEASURE UP!
6 TIPS TO WARM SAVINGS
1. Keep the Cold Out and the Warm In
2. Heat Your Home Efficiently
3. Smart Savings
4. Light the Moment with ENERGY STAR
5. Save Energy While Enjoying Football Season
6. Warm Up to Water Heater Savings
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 3rd-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.
- 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.
Make the smart choice to control your temperature settings with an ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat. It will help you save money and stay comfortable in your home.
Smart thermostats that earn the ENERGY STAR provide:
Convenience
- Many smart thermostats learn your temperature preferences and establish a schedule that automatically adjusts to energy-saving temperatures when you are asleep or away.
- Geofencing allows your smart thermostat to know when you’re on the way home and automatically adjusts your home’s temperature to your liking.
Control
- Wi-Fi enabled thermostats allow you to control your home’s heating and cooling remotely through your smartphone.
- ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostats quickly enter a low-power standby mode when inactive.
Insight
- Smart thermostats provide equipment use and temperature data you can track and manage.
- Periodic software updates ensure your smart thermostat is using the latest algorithms and energy-saving features available.
If everyone used an ENERGY STAR certified smart thermostat, savings would grow to $740 million dollars per year! Check out this factsheet for more information on smart thermostat savings.
There are more than 3 billion light fixtures in homes across the U.S. with old, inefficient bulbs wasting Americans billions of dollars in energy costs and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions. You can do your part to save energy and protect the planet by lighting your moments with ENERGY STAR certified LED light bulbs. High-quality ENERGY STAR certified LED light bulbs are now more affordable than ever and, only LED bulbs that have earned the ENERGY STAR label are independently certified to deliver the quality and performance you deserve.
ENERGY STAR certified LED bulbs deliver:
Big Energy Savings: Lasting over 12 years, and saving you energy and money the whole time.
Environmental Benefits: Protecting the planet for the special moments of future generations.
Light Distribution: Lighting the small, intimate moments AND the big, busy ones with just the right brightness and color.
Highest Quality Performance: Perfect for maximizing the impact of all your special moments.
To get the energy efficiency and performance you expect, look for the ENERGY STAR label. 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 nearly $140 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. Learn more about energy-efficient streaming here.
- And, don’t forget, holiday season is right around the corner and the best gifts do great things! ENERGY STAR products, including electronics, appliances and lighting make great gifts. ENERGY STAR certified products go beyond the latest features and functions to deliver great energy efficiency and they are good for the environment. Find gifts that do a world of good in the ENERGY STAR Holiday Gift Guide, here.
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 approximately $350 a year in energy costs plus even more with 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.
Helpful Information
Learn more about smart thermostats that have earned the ENERGY STAR label and are independently certified to deliver reliable performance and energy savings.
Interested in automating your home but wondering where to start? Navigate the smart home landscape to save energy and money, while helping protect the environment.
The attic is where you can find the largest opportunities to increase comfort and save energy and money. Take the first step by measuring your attic insulation.
