If you are heating water on the stove, use hot tap water instead of cold.

Make sure insulation in your attic does not block soffit vents.

Minimize use of electric space heaters, except for limited or temporary spot heating.  Turn space heaters off when leaving the room.

Monitor your home’s relative humidity in the summer.  If it consistently stays in the 60 percent range or higher, ask your HVAC technician about lowering your central air conditioning unit’s indoor fan speed.

Do not close supply air registers.

Close shades and drapes at night to keep heat in during the winter.

Only do full laundry loads.

When using the fireplace, open the outside air vent (if provided) or open the nearest window slightly.

Make sure dryer vent hose is not kinked or clogged.

Set the refrigerator temperature to 34 – 37 degrees Fahrenheit and freezer temperature to 0 – 5 degrees Fahrenheit.

Use heavy-duty, clear sheets of plastic sealed tightly on the inside of windows to reduce the amount of cold air entering your home during the winter.

When heating or cooling, keep windows shut and locked.

Consider using a “solar-powered” clothes dryer: an old fashioned clothes line.

Insulate exposed hot water lines.

Wash clothes in cold water. Use hot water only for very dirty loads.

Set water heater temperature no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make sure the dryer’s outdoor exhaust door is not blocked or clogged.

Enable auto power down feature on gaming consoles.  

Verify dryer vent hose is tightly connected to the inside wall fitting.

Have your HVAC system serviced once per year by a NATE-certified technician.

Plant trees and shrubs to provide shade on the east, south and west sides of your home. Evergreen trees and shrubs can provide a windbreak on the north side.

Clean dryer’s lint trap before each load.

Ensure floor registers are not blocked with rugs, drapes or furniture.

Don’t let the water run while you are shaving or brushing your teeth.

When using the fireplace, turn down your heating system thermostat.

Verify livestock water tank heaters are off when not needed.

Use a slow-cooker instead of simmering foods on the stove.

Seal electric wall outlets and wall switches with foam pads.

Use bath towels at least twice before washing them.

Close shades and drapes during the day to help keep heat out in summer.

Use microwave for cooking when possible.

Only run dishwasher when fully loaded.  

Caulk along baseboards with a clear sealant.

Use cold water for garbage disposal.

Install a programmable thermostat to save even more.

Dry consecutive loads to harvest heat remaining in dryer from last load.

Install water saving shower heads.

Turn computers and monitors off when not in use.

When buying a new computer, select an ENERGY STAR® model.  Consider buying a laptop as it uses less energy than a comparable desktop.  

Limit shower length to 5-7 minutes.

Make sure drapes and shades are open during the day to catch free solar heat in winter.

Turn off stereos and radios when not in use.

When installing new air filters, make sure they are facing in the correct direction (look for arrow on side of filter).

Check for energy saving settings on flat-panel TVs like automatic brightness control and a power saving sleep mode.  

Use fixtures with electronic ballasts and T-8, 32 Watt fluorescent lamps.

Always use cold-water rinse.

In hot weather, avoid running the dryer during the heat of the day.

Ensure all new appliances, electronics and lights are ENERGY STAR® labeled.

If rinsing dirty dishes before putting them into the dishwasher, do so with cold water.  

Make sure heat tape is off when not needed.

Replace outdoor lighting with its equivalent outdoor-rated LED bulb. LEDs work well in cold weather.  

Check that the dryer vent hose is tightly connected to dryer.

Make sure outside soffit vents are not blocked.

Unplug battery chargers when not needed.

Ensure windows and doors are properly weather-stripped and use door sweeps.

Ensure attic access door closes tightly and is insulated.

Caulk electrical wire penetrations at the top of the interior walls in the attic.

Turn off bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans 15 minutes after the job is complete or install 15 minute timers on bathroom ventilator fans.

Use dishwasher’s air-dry cycle instead of the heat-dry cycle to dry dishes.

Keep your garage door down.  A warmer garage in the winter and cooler garage in the summer will save energy.

Switch your refrigerator’s power-saver feature to “ON,” if available.

For households with 1 or 2 members, a 115 degree Fahrenheit setting may work fine.  

Set thermostats to 78 degrees Fahrenheit in summer, 68 degrees Fahrenheit in winter.

Use outdoor security lights with a photocell and/or a motion sensor.

Ensure window A/C units are weather-stripped. Remove the unit in the winter and close and lock the window.

Remove and clean window A/C filter monthly.

Fix dripping faucets.

Remember to use the kitchen exhaust fan when cooking.  Turn it off after cooking.

Turn large-screen TVs off completely when not in use.

Caulk around plumbing penetrations that come through walls beneath bathroom and kitchen sinks.

Do not close off unused rooms that are conditioned by forced-air systems.

Outside your home, caulk around all penetrations including telephone, electrical, cable, gas, water spigots, dryer vents, etc.

If you don’t unplug them, use energy-saving modes or automatic sleep functions on electronics.

Keep fireplace dampers closed unless a fire is burning.

Use refrigerator’s anti-sweat feature only if necessary.

Clean refrigerator coils annually.

Change HVAC air filters monthly.

Caulk around storm windows and basement windows.

Minimize clothes drying time by using an auto moisture sensor, if available.

Turn off unnecessary lighting.

Turn off ceiling fans when leaving the room. Fans cool people, not rooms.

Install heat traps on hot and cold water lines when it’s time to replace your water heater.

When cooking on the oven range, use pot lids to help food cook faster.  

If not frost-free, regularly defrost refrigerator or freezer to avoid ice buildup.

Replace any light bulb, especially ones that are on more than one hour per day, with a light-emitting diode (LED) bulb.  

Turn off pool pumps and heaters when not needed.

Do not use roof-top power ventilators for attic exhaust as they may draw conditioned air from your home.

Drain 1-2 gallons from bottom of water heater each year to reduce sediment build up.

Request an ENERGY STAR® set-top box from cable or satellite provider.

Unplug unused refrigerators or freezers. Recycle them if you do not need them.

Plug electronic devices such as cable boxes, printers and TVs into power strips to turn off during vacations or long periods without use.

Install a water heater wrap, also known as a water heater blanket, per manufacturer’s instructions.

If you must do smaller loads, adjust the water level in the washing machine to match the load size, especially when using hot water.

Ensure your outdoor heat pump/air conditioning unit is kept clean and free of debris.

Ensure refrigerator door seals are tight.

Run ceiling paddle fans on medium, blowing down in summer and paddle fans on low, blowing up in winter.

Keep “fresh-air” vents on window A/C units closed.

Check to be sure return air grilles are not blocked by furniture or bookcases.

Make sure electric blankets are turned off in the morning.

Turn off coffee makers when not in use.