Fixing High Energy Bills

One reason for high energy bills is an increase in the price of electricity or heating fuel. However, it is common to trace high energy bills to an in-efficient component (windows, heating and cooling equipment, ducts insulation) of your home or a failure of one of these components to perform as intended. It is not always easy to pin-point the problem, but fixing it can make your home more energy-efficient and comfortable.

Prescription Checklist:

To improve the energy efficiency of your home start with an evaluation of your homes energy use.

• Contact your utility and ask if they offer any programs to help lower energy bills.
• Turn down the temperature on your water heater to 120 degrees F.
• Replace the light bulbs in your highest usage lights with ENERGY STAR CFL bulbs.
• When replacing lighting or appliances look for ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures and appliances
• Install an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat, and use it to save energy while you are away at work.
• To get started today use Energy Star's Home Improvement Tools to score your home's energy use and generate a customized list of improvements. You will need one year of your utility bills handy.
• For best results hire a contractor who is an energy specialist to do an in-home evaluation. A good specialist will use diagnostic equipment to evaluate the performance of your home and generate a customized list of improvements.
• Improvements may include sealing air leaks, adding insulation (Home Sealing) or sealing duct air leaks. Some of these you can do yourself, but you may prefer to hire a contractor.