As energy prices continue to rise, it is important that consumers know how to use the energy in their home efficiently.

Heating and Cooling Tips

• Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter and as high as comfortable in the summer.
• Buy a programmable thermostat. A programmable thermostat can help by adjusting the temperature according to your schedule.
• Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed.
• Bleed trapped air from hot water radiators once or twice a season.
• Heat and cool only rooms that you are using. Close the doors and vents to unused rooms.

Weatherization Tips

• Caulk and weather strip doors and windows that leak air.
• Install storm windows and use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during cold winter months to control temperature efficiency.
• Look for holes in your roof and all heating/cooling pipes and vents.

Indoor Lighting tips

• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs and offer substantial savings.
• Turn off the lights in any room you are not using and consider installing timers, dimmers and motion sensors to reduce the amount of time your lights are on.
• Consider three-way lamps, which make it easier to keep lighting levels low when bright light is not necessary.

You can visit the following websites to find the above information as well as other energy conservation resources: