Energy efficiency tips for your home
Practical ways to use less energy at home
Every home is different in terms of age, layout, energy efficiency, appliances, and residents’ energy habits. That’s why there’s no single answer to “how do I lower my bill?”
The tips below come from MTE EnergyPros, our in-house energy experts who spend their days walking through members’ homes and looking at real energy use. These are the changes they recommend most often, because they truly make a difference.
They’re listed in order of impact. The first sections cover the things that move the needle most. The later sections cover smaller changes that add up over time. Start wherever makes sense for you.
Keep in mind that how much you save depends on your home, your habits, and the weather. Though we can’t promise a dollar amount, we can assure you that these steps work, are affordable, and most take very little time to implement.
Why your bill goes up and down
If your bill jumps in January and again in July, you’re not imagining things — and nothing is broken.
Heating and cooling make up the largest share of energy use in most homes. When it’s 20 degrees outside or 95 in the shade, your system runs longer and works harder to keep your home comfortable. More runtime means more energy use, and more energy use means a higher bill.
Once you understand that weather plays an important role in your monthly bill, you can plan ahead and take steps to reduce its impact.
Start with heating and cooling
Your heating and cooling system is the biggest energy user in your home, so small adjustments in this category matter more than anywhere else.
Shrink the gap. The greater the difference between your thermostat setting and the outside temperature, the harder your system works. Keep that gap as small as you comfortably can. On a 95-degree day, setting your thermostat to 78 instead of 72 means your air conditioner runs far less.
Set your heat to 68 degrees. In cold months, 68 is the sweet spot for most homes. Lower your thermostat 1-3 degrees to reduce how often your heating system runs. We recommend lowering it as low as you can while remaining comfortable. To protect your pipes from freezing in extreme cold, don’t set the thermostat below 60 degrees.
Adjust when you’re away. There’s no reason to heat or cool an empty house to the same comfort level you’d want while you’re home. Let the temperature drift 1-3 degrees while you’re at work, then bring it back before you return. A programmable thermostat handles this for you automatically, so you come home to a comfortable house without paying to keep it that way all day.
Change your filter. This one is easy to forget and expensive to ignore. A dirty, clogged filter can raise your air conditioner’s energy use by 5 to 15%. Replace or clean it regularly — a good trick is to change it when you pay your electric bill, unless you’re using a longer-life filter.
Try this today: Walk over to your thermostat and move it one degree — up in summer, down in winter. Most people never notice the difference in comfort. You will notice it on your bill.
Put your fans to work
Ceiling fans are one of the most underused tools in a home, mostly because people run them the wrong way or leave them on when nobody’s around.
Switch directions with the seasons. In spring and summer, set your ceiling fans to turn counterclockwise. That pushes air down and creates a breeze. In winter, reverse them to run clockwise and run them at the lowest speed — that pulls cool air up and gently pushes warm air back down from the ceiling.
Remember that fans cool people, not rooms. A fan doesn’t lower the temperature of a room. It just makes you feel cooler by moving air across your skin. So, when you leave the room, turn it off. Running a fan in an empty room costs you money and does nothing to cool the space.
Don’t forget your exhaust fans. Kitchen, bath, and other exhaust fans pull conditioned air straight out of your house. Turn them off within 20 minutes after you finish cooking or bathing. When it’s time to replace one, look for a high-efficiency, low-noise model.
Find the leaks you can’t see
Your home probably has small gaps letting conditioned air out and outside air in. You can’t see them, but you’re paying for them all year.
Start with your outlets. Electric outlets and switch plates on exterior walls are hidden sources of drafts. Foam outlet sealers cost very little, install in minutes with only a screwdriver, and keep your conditioned air where it belongs.
Then check the usual suspects. Seal air leaks around doors, windows, pipes, and any gaps around floor ducts, chimneys, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets. These are the spots most people never think to look.
Close your fireplace damper. When your fireplace isn’t in use, an open damper is an open chimney. Warm air rises right up and out. Closing it keeps your heating dollars inside the house.
Let the sun in — or keep it out
The sun is a free heat source. Sometimes you want it and others you really don’t.
In warm months, block it. Close your blinds or drapes during the day, especially on south- and west-facing windows. Those walls take the brunt of the sun’s heat. Good drapes or shades on those windows are worth the investment.
In cold months, welcome it. Keep your draperies open during the day to let sunlight warm your rooms, then close them at night to help hold that heat in.
Turn down your water heater
Some manufacturers set water heater thermostats to 140 degrees at the factory. Most households only need 120.
Lowering yours to 120 degrees uses less energy, and it comes with a bonus: it slows mineral buildup in your water heater and pipes, which helps the equipment last longer.
This is a five-minute job. Find the thermostat dial on your water heater, turn it down, and you’re done.
Small changes around the house
None of these will transform your bill on its own. Together, over a year, they add up.
Switch your lightbulbs. Replace any bulb you use for more than an hour a day with an LED. They use a fraction of the energy and last years longer.
Add a smart power strip. Many devices keep drawing power even when they’re off. A smart power strip detects when a plugged-in device is in standby mode and cuts the power — no effort required from you.
Test your refrigerator seal. Close the door on a piece of paper so it’s half in and half out. If you can pull the paper out easily, your seal may need replacing, or the latch may need adjusting. A leaky seal makes your refrigerator run constantly.
Buy efficiently when you buy new. When an appliance wears out, look for an energy-efficient model. They’re built to do the same job using less energy.
Light your yard with the sun. Outdoor solar lights are easy to install, nearly maintenance-free, and they don’t add anything to your bill.
Keep the heat out of your kitchen
A conventional oven doesn’t just heat your food — it heats your whole kitchen, and then your air conditioner must work harder to undo it.
On hot days, cook with a microwave or slow cooker instead. Better yet, take it outside. Grilling keeps all that heat where it belongs.
Check your dryer vent
Periodically inspect your dryer vent to make sure it isn’t blocked. A blocked vent forces your dryer to run longer, and lint buildup is a fire risk. Manufacturers recommend rigid venting material rather than plastic vents, which can collapse and cause blockages.
Take two minutes to look behind your dryer this weekend.
When you’re ready to do more
Everything above you can do yourself. When you’re ready for a bigger step, MTE offers programs, rebates, and tools that help members make larger efficiency improvements — including the Home Energy Checkup, Home Rebates, the Heat Pump Loan Program, and Home Uplift.
See all energy efficiency programs and resources — Energy Efficiency & Savings
Talk with an MTE EnergyPro
Have questions about saving energy, improving comfort, or choosing the right energy solution for your home? MTE EnergyPros are here to help you understand your options and find practical next steps that fit your needs.
Email: energyservices@mte.com
Phone: 877-777-9020
Online: mte.com/EnergySolutions
