According to the United States Department of Energy, the typical American family spends about $1,900 a year on home utility bills. Unfortunately, a huge portion of that valuable energy is wasted.

It is estimated that an average single-family home places more carbon dioxide from fossil fuels into the atmosphere than two average vehicles every year. The good news is there are small changes you can make to minimize that energy consumption and waste while slashing your energy use up to twenty-five percent by implementing what is called a whole-house efficiency plan.

What is Whole-House Efficiency?

Look at your home as though it where a huge energy system with mutually supporting segments, then break down and examine each segment. For instance, the central cooling and heating system starts at those units and delivers warm or cool air throughout your home by a series of duct work. Are the units clean? Are the ducts connected well? Are those systems wasting energy due to poor insulation and unsealed windows and doors?

Heating & Cooling

Heating and cooling accounts for a majority of your energy budget, consuming more than half of the energy used in your home. Properly using a programmable thermostat is one of the easiest ways to save energy and money. It also helps to create year-round comfort by keeping your home an even temperature.

To decide which programmable thermostat is right for you, think about your schedule. How often are you away from home during the week and weekends. There are three standard options:

• (5-1-1) — Allows for a separate schedules for week, Saturday and Sunday programmable options.
• (5-2) — Allows for one weekday program and one weekend program.
• (7-day) — Allows for a separate schedule for each day of the week.
  

Lighting

Use compact fluorescent light bulbs with the ENERGY STAR® label. You’ll use up to 75% less electricity than incandescent bulbs while saving $30 or more over the life of the bulb. They are relatively inexpensive and last ten times longer than regular light bulbs.

Remember those old bulb are recyclable.  Check your local home center to see if they accept them for recycling.

Motion Detectors, Sensors, Dimmers & Timers

Utilize control devices on lighting such as motion detectors, occupancy sensors, dimmers, timers and photocells to provide light as needed both inside and outside your home. Dimming lights twenty-five percent can save you twenty percent of the electricity used to light inside your home. Since motion lighting outside your home only turns on when detecting movement, no energy is wasted. Motion lighting is also a convenient and inexpensive source of security.

Water Heater

Water heaters bring the convenience of hot water to your bath, clothes washer and dishwasher and is the third largest energy expense in your home. This appliance accounts for about thirteen percent of your utility bill.

If you are considering purchasing a new water heater, look for the Energy Factor. This measures how effectively the unit converts energy to heat. You may want to consider a tank-less water heater which will save thirty percent of the energy costs of a standard gas water heater. If you are replacing an electric water heater with a tank-less model, you'll save up to seventy percent.

Insulation & Sealing

Feeling comfortable in your home no matter what the temperature is outside is the result of proper insulation of your home. By insulating and sealing your home properly, you are considerably increasing the energy efficiency of your home, while lowering your monthly heating and cooling costs.

Making improvements to your home that saves energy not only helps to save money, it adds value to your home should you decide to sell it.