Increase or decrease the temperature setting for the A.C./heater when leaving the home for an extended period of time or at night when asleep. There is no need to keep the home cool/warm when you will not be around to enjoy the temperature, especially when on vacation. Use an additional blanket at night during the winter since the temperature is decreased. Your body should be able to adjust to the slight increase in temperature at night during the summer requiring only a thin sheet as covering. Don’t turn off the A.C./heater, because it also removes humidity and particles from the air, preventing household items from being damaged. Also, more energy is required to return the temperature to a comfortable level if turned off for an extended period of time. The results will be a reduction in your electric bill by $5 - $25 per month.

     Ensure the air filter is cleaned and/or changed on a regular basis. The filter does not need to be replaced every month if the A.C./heater was not used very much (if at all) during the month and there is not an accumulation of dust on the filter. Another measure to improve the efficiency of the A.C./heater is to ensure the air intake to the filter and the door to the unit is free of dust. The presence of dust will be sucked into the filter causing the A.C./heater to work harder than necessary. The preventive measures will reduce the electric bill, costs for air filters, extend the life of the A.C./heater, and reduce health risks caused by dust. Simply use a vacuum cleaner to clean the area.

     Consider purchasing a lifetime air filter. A lifetime air filter is much more effective at collecting particles in the air than compared to a disposable air filter. The cost is about 10 to 20 times more, but it will last much longer. Every month, simply clean the filter using a water hose and then shake the excess water before returning to the intake.

     The vent in a room that is rarely used should be closed along with the door. Why cool/heat an unused room? Don't close the vent and keep the door open because drawing air into the unused room will waste energy. Close the door!

     Turn off all unnecessary lights when using the air conditioner. The extra heat from the lights will require more energy to cool the room. When using the heater, turn on the lights because the extra heat will require less work for the heater.

     Use a self-cleaning oven on the colder days of the year. The heat from the oven will warm a room similar to a fireplace. Cleaning the oven in the summer should be performed when the room temperature is the lowest (typically at night or after raining which lowers the temperature) so as to minimize the effects of the heat generated from the oven.

     In the summer, reduce the amount of heat from the sun entering a window by closing the blinds/curtains to reflect the heat or plant a tree in front of the window. In the winter, allow as much heat in as you can to reduce the heating bill. Consider installing solar screens or solar film on your windows (particularly the west and sount facing windows) to significantly reduce the amount of heat entering and escaping through the windows. The energy savings will be substantial.


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