24 Mistakes That Send Energy Bills Soaring

Implementing these fixes will save you cold, hard cash all year long. Heating your living space accounts for about 43% of a home’s energy bills on average, and air conditioning eats up another 8%. That’s according to the most recent Residential Energy Consumption Survey by the U.S. Energy Survey Information Administration.

Bills can vary greatly, of course, depending on your home, fuel type and weather in your part of the country. Your costs could be higher, especially if you are neglecting easy low-cost adjustment and maintenance tasks that can increase your energy bill. Here’s how to cut energy consumption on heating and air cooling:

1. Neglecting to program the thermostat
2. Forgetting to use cold water for laundry
3. Setting the water heater too high
4. Failing to clean outdoor air conditioning units
5. Ignoring cracks and leaks
6. Missing big gaps (that cause heat or air conditioning to escape) use caulk or foam to fill in spaces
7. Skipping insulation on the attic door
8. Failing to shrink wrap windows (especially in areas with extreme cold weather)
9. Leaving the damper open on your fireplace (warm air escapes outside instead of heating the inside)
10. Using a ceiling fan incorrectly (changing the direction the blades rotate – winter push warm air down – summer reverse it)
11. Not changing the furnace filter
12. Ignoring dirty air conditioner filters
13. Failing to insulate the water heater
14. Not insulating hot water pipes (insulation keeps heat in pipes – in cold temps the water cools in pipe)
15. Overlooking door sweeps
16. Skipping weather stripping
17. Not knowing how to use drapes correctly (reduce heat loss by keeping drapes closed at night & daytime open drapes to allow sun warmth)
18. Not sealing the heats ducts
19. Not insulating the basement
20. Overlooking electrical outlets (pre-made gaskets prevent heat loss)
21. Ignoring outside-facing baseboards
22. Forgetting air conditioner condensation lines (make sure lines are draining properly
23. Neglecting air conditioner fins (keep them clean so the air conditioner works properly)
24. Using older, inefficient light bulbs

https://www.moneytalksnews.com/slideshows/19-cheap-or-free-ways-to-cut-your-winter-energy-bills/