Room by Room Energy Efficiency Tips

Replace air filters in your furnace every three to six months. Clogged filters make the furnace work harder, wearing it down.
Schedule an annual inspection of your heating system. A qualified contractor can inspect your furnace to ensure it is working properly. If repairs are needed, have a qualified contractor perform the work.
If your furnace is old, replacing it with a new, high-efficiency furnace can save valuable energy dollars.
A clean-burning natural gas furnace can heat a home for about one-third the cost of an electric unit.

Water heater

Lower your water heater thermostat setting to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. For a family of four, this could reduce energy use by 15 percent, saving approximately $33 per year.
Wrap the water heater tank with an insulation blanket (in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines) to keep water in the tank warm – reducing the amount of energy needed to heat up the water. Also, insulate the water pipes leading out from your water heater with inexpensive foam sleeves.
Periodically drain the water heater until water runs clear. This allows sediment and mineral deposits to escape and increases efficiency.
Take advantage of performance and savings by installing a natural gas water heater. It can heat water twice as fast as an electric water heater at less than half the cost.

Laundry room: Wash out wasted energy

Washing machine

Run only full loads in your washing machine to avoid wasting hot water. For additional savings, wash clothes in cold water when possible, and don't wash on the longest setting unless necessary.

Dryer

Dry loads one after another to keep the dryer from having to heat up more than necessary.
Regularly clean the air vent leading from your dryer to outside as well as the lint screen to maintain efficiency.
Durable and dependable, natural gas dryers are less expensive to operate than electric dryers. With natural gas, you can dry two-and-a-half loads of laundry for the same amount of money as one load in an electric dryer. Natural gas dryers are available in all styles and sizes to fit the needs of your family and utility room requirements.

Kitchen: Cook up the savings

Most professional chefs prefer to cook with natural gas thanks to its even heat distribution, easy temperature control and instant on/off settings. Natural gas ranges, ovens, cooktops and grills come in a variety of styles. And they are highly efficient, reliable and easy to clean. It costs about half as much to cook with a natural gas range as it does to cook with a similar electric range.

Stovetop

Turn off the range hood fan as soon as you are done using it. It can drain the house of heated or cooled air in just one hour.
When cooking, make sure the size of your pan matches the size of the burner. If the flames are bigger than the pan base, you're wasting heat.
Keep range-top burners clean so heat reflects properly.

Oven

Cook foods in glass or ceramic pans. You can set your oven 25 degrees cooler and your food will cook at the same rate.
Don't open your oven door to check your food. The oven can lose 25 percent of its heat when you open the door.
When baking, cook several things together to shorten the time the oven is on. Or, make double batches and freeze them for later use.
When re-heating or cooking small foods, use the microwave or toaster oven instead of your oven.
If you plan to use the self-cleaning oven feature, do it right after you've baked so the oven doesn't need to re-heat.

Refrigerator/Freezer

Consider replacing your old refrigerator. New units use half as much energy as those made 20 years ago, even if they are the same size.
Clean refrigerator coils every six months to keep the appliance running efficiently.
Defrost your freezer. Frost build-up makes the freezer work harder to keep your food frozen.
Keep your refrigerator full enough to maximize cooling power, but don't stock it so full that the air can't circulate.
Make sure the seal on your refrigerator door is tight. If you can easily slide a dollar bill through it when it is closed, the gaskets should be replaced.
Cool food completely before putting it in the fridge. If you don't, it will heat up the fridge, making it work harder. And, be sure to cover leftovers. This prevents excess moisture from building up inside the fridge, which makes it work harder.

Dishwasher

Run only full loads in the dishwasher. To save energy, use the air dry cycle or open the door to let air circulate.

Bathroom: Don't let energy dollars go down the drain

Place faucet levers in the "cold" position when using small amounts of water as the "hot" position uses energy to heat the water even though it may never reach the faucet.
Fix leaky faucets. One drip can waste 250 gallons of water a month, which translates to 3,000 gallons of wasted water annually.
Replace your showerhead with one that saves water to reduce the costs of heating water.
Turn off the bathroom vent fan as soon as you are done using it. It can drain the house of heated or cooled air in just one hour.
An average bath uses 15-25 gallons of hot water while a five-minute shower uses less than 10 gallons. To save energy, take showers instead of baths and keep them as short and cool as tolerable.

Fireplace: Are you sending energy dollars up in smoke?

Remember to close the chimney flue when the fireplace is not in use. An open flue is like an open window, allowing warm air to escape – 24 hours a day!
When using the fireplace, turn your thermostat down to keep warm air from the fireplace in the house.
Natural gas fireplaces offer a realistic dancing flame that resembles a genuine wood fire - without the mess. Most units feature an electronic ignition and fingertip heat controls. New fireplaces can be vented through an outside wall, eliminating the need for a chimney. Or, your current wood-burning fireplace can be retrofitted with a natural gas log set that will allow you to enjoy increased energy efficiency and the environmental benefits of natural gas. Read more about natural gas hearth products . (PDF)

Windows: Look out for hidden energy dollars

Make sure all storm windows are closed. It only takes one or two unprotected windows to chill a room and lose heating dollars.
On windows that face the sun, leave draperies open during the day. At night, close drapes to help keep heat inside. Consider installing heavy draperies on large windows.
Double-glazing window frames can cut heat losses in half.

Doors: Slam the door on wasted energy

Install a storm door with weather-stripping and a bottom sweep to seal the elements outside. Replace thresholds so the cold doesn't sneak under the door.
Cover areas around letterboxes and keyholes with flaps or brush seals to prevent heat from escaping.

Garage: Drive home savings

Keep your garage door closed during the winter so cold air doesn't penetrate the outer walls of your home.
Take the chill out of your garage with a natural gas garage heater. Most natural gas heaters are ventless and do not require a chimney. They can be wall-mounted with a thermostat control to regulate the heat output.

Insulation: Seal up savings in unexpected places

Ducts

Get your air ducts sealed by a professional HVAC contractor. You can lose up to 40 percent of your heated or cooled air through leaks in your ductwork.

Attic

Add insulation to your attic if it has less than 12 inches of insulation. Adding insulation is the easiest and most cost-effective way to reduce heating costs. Purchase insulation with a high R-value (the higher the R-value, the better it will work).
Install an attic fan to make sure your attic is properly ventilated. An attic fan eliminates warm air in the summer, which can help regulate the temperature in your home.

Walls

Use caulking, sealant or weather-stripping to weatherize all seams, cracks and openings around windows, doors and baseboards, as well as the small openings around television cables, dryer vents and plumbing pipes.

Roof

Keep the insulation in your attic dry and effective by repairing leaks in your roof.

Heating and cooling: Hot tips to keep the cold out

Consider a humidifier. Properly humidified air makes your home feel warmer and more comfortable, so you can keep your thermostat setting lower. It can make a 68 degree room feel like it is 76 degrees.
Experiment with your settings to find a lower temperature that is comfortable. Just a few degrees change in thermostat settings can make a big difference in the amount of energy used.
Install a programmable thermostat that can be pre-set to lower the temperature when you're sleeping or at work.
Close heat vents in rooms that are mostly unused, such as guest rooms, only if you don't have a forced-air furnace. (A forced-air furnace is designed to heat a specific space.)
Move furniture, draperies or other objects blocking registers, radiators or air conditioners to ensure proper air flow.
Install ceiling fans. During summer months, set them to go counterclockwise, creating a downdraft and making the room feel 8 degrees cooler. During winter months, set them to go clockwise, recirculating hot air at the ceiling.
Don't put lights by your thermostat. They can cause the thermostat to have an inaccurate reading.
Remove your window air conditioner in the winter, then seal the space where it was installed.
Consider an environmentally friendly natural gas air conditioner. They're more efficient and require less maintenance than electric units.
Keep your home running during an electric power outage with a natural gas backup generator. It can power a furnace, air conditioner, sump pump, security system, refrigerator, computer or other appliances.

Redecorating

When shopping for new appliances, look for those with the Energy Star logo. An Energy Star-qualified clothes washer uses 8,000 fewer gallons of water each year.
Replace your top-loading washing machine with a front-loading horizontal axis model. They use less energy and water.
When shopping for a new clothes dryer, consider one that senses when clothes are dry and automatically shuts off.
When purchasing a new refrigerator, buy one with a small trap door on the front that allows you to access items without opening the door, causing cool air to escape. Some newer models will even alert you when you leave the door open.
When planning a new kitchen, don't put the refrigerator next to any other appliances.
Appliances need buffers around them so they operate correctly and efficiently.
When replacing windows, be sure to research those that will save the most energy. Choose windows with a low U-value (lower than .35) to maximize insulating qualities.
Replace your wood front door with one made from fiberglass. Fiberglass offers up to five times more protection from cold than traditional wood doors.

While you're away, pack up energy savings

If you're going on vacation, set your thermostat at 55 degrees. This will lower your heating expense while keeping your pipes from freezing.
Turn the water heater down before you leave for vacation. Don't heat water you won't be around to use.

Energy efficiency outdoors

Use low-wattage lights outside. Several low-wattage fixtures use fewer watts than one floodlight, or consider solar-powered lights.
Enjoy the safety and security of natural gas yard lights or coach lights. They can be mounted on posts for patio and front yard installations or wall-mounted for entryways and garages.
Gas lights require little maintenance and don't attract insects.
Plant trees that shade your home to keep cooling costs down. Leafy trees shade best on the south and west sides. Deciduous trees that lose their leaves in the winter keep you cool in the summer from shade and warm the house in the winter by letting in sun. Plant evergreen trees to serve as wind breakers.
Take the convenience of natural gas cooking outdoors with a natural gas grill. With push-button ignition, you'll never have to mess with charcoal or lighter fluid again. And there's no tank to fill. The grill is connected to your home's natural gas line, so you'll never run out of fuel. And natural gas grills cost less to operate than charcoal or propane.
Keep your deck, patio, swimming pool or outdoor spa warm on cooler evenings with a natural gas heater. Natural gas pool and spa heaters warm water twice as fast as electricity – and at half the average cost.
Tired of shoveling your driveway in the winter? Snow-melting systems can be installed under sidewalks and driveways, eliminating the aches and pains of shoveling. The snow melts as it hits the ground!