- 1). Schedule an energy audit with a certified energy auditor. Your local government energy agency or utility may provide listings of professional energy auditors. The auditor identifies energy leaks and low-efficiency appliances, as well as energy gaps in your heating and cooling system. The auditor also examines past utility bills and assesses the homeowner's current energy consumption habits.
- 2). Use the report to correct energy-inefficient habits, such as leaving lights on in unoccupied rooms, continually adjusting the thermostat or leaving draperies closed during cooler months, blocking the sun's warmth.
- 3). Review the report to identify ways in which you can upgrade the house. These ways include adding insulation to the attic, installing double- or triple-pane windows, adding weather stripping to doors and windows, and replacing older, inefficient furnaces and air conditioners with new energy star models. The energy star designation indicates the government has recognized an appliance or other utility as energy-efficient.
- 4). Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Place lamps in strategic positions so only one or two are needed to light areas in which activity is taking place, such as when the family is eating dinner or watching television.
- 5). Use area rugs on hardwood or laminate floors during the winter and remove them in the summer. Keep draperies open during the day in cooler months and drawn against sunlight in hot weather.
- 6). Install a programmable thermostat. Program the thermostat for a low temperature in winter months during the times when the house is largely unoccupied, such as during work and school hours, and for a higher temperature during those times in the summer months.
- 7). Program the thermostat to raise or lower the temperature a half-hour before the family arrives home, and to adjust again for nighttime hours. Once you have set the thermostat, do not continually readjust it.
- 8). Landscape the property. Plant deciduous trees to the south and west of the house for shade in the summer and allow sunlight into the home during winter. Strategically place hedges to direct summer breezes toward the home and winter winds away from the home.
- 9). Consult a local company specializing in solar power about adding solar panels, solar attic fans and solar water heaters to the home. Research the availability of grants and rebates pertaining to these upgrades on older homes.
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