Heating and cooling your home accounts for the largest portion of your utility bill. To help reduce this amount, have your heating and air conditioning unit checked once a year by your heating/air conditioning contractor for safety and efficiency.

Find the same time each month to check your filters for dirt. Replace dirty fiberglass filters and clean aluminum filters. Dirty filters cut down on air flow and reduce efficiency of your unit.

Keep your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting for your family in the winter and the highest setting in the summer. For maximum savings, the setting for heating is 68 degrees or lower; the setting for cooling is 78 degrees or higher. Each degree below 78 for cooling adds approximately six percent to your cooling costs.

For the best savings, insulate your home well. The right amount of insulation in your outside walls and attic, between floors, and around heating ducts and pipes exposed to cold air can cut your costs by as much as 50 percent. The recommended insulation for a ceiling under a ventilated attic is R-30.

Always install window air conditioners where they provide the best air flow. Seal off any air cracks around the units. Cover the part of the air conditioner exposed to the outside of the house during cold weather.

Check out these other tips:

Water Heaters
Living Areas
Kitchen & Baths
Utility Room & Basement
Outside Your Home