Ways to save money on your energy bill

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, 50% of your gas and electricity bill is spent on heating and cooling your home, 25% pays for lighting and major appliances, and the remaining 25% is related to various home electronic products. The U.S. government's Energy Star program helps consumers by clearly identifying energy-efficient products, and their logo can be found on products in more than 50 different categories.

Assuming your attic, ceilings, and walls are insulated, one way to reduce temperature loss during the winter is to seal all holes, cracks, and openings in the interior that lead to the exterior or attic, and to weather-strip all exterior doors, windows, your basement door, and your attic hatch. Install foam gaskets around electrical outlets. In the attic, seal the heating and air-conditioning ducts and wrap them with minimum R-6 insulation. Replace your furnace's air filter, have the furnace serviced, and wrap your water heater with insulation.

If your furnace or boiler is more than 15 years old, consider replacing it with an Energy Star appliance, and check with your utility company to see if any rebates are available. An Energy Star qualified programmable thermostat with four temperature and time settings can save you $100 each year by reducing the temperature when you're asleep or away from your home. By keeping your hot water heater setting on normal, no more than 120 degrees F, you can save 10% on your energy bills. And by replacing your five most frequently used lights with Energy Star qualified lights, you can save another $60 per year.