Insulate Your Water Heater:  If you always have plenty of hot water, you may be able to get by with lowering your water heater's thermostat setting. Just don't lower it below 120° F. Electric heaters benefit most from this approach to saving energy. Timers are also available which allow you to make the water heater conform to your water usage schedule. They prevent the water heater from trying to maintain hot water during periods when it is never used.

Water heaters are insulated, but you can always add to that. For a small investment, you can significantly reduce the amount of heat lost by the unit, particularly if your water heater is located in an unheated area. Inexpensive insulating blanket kits for water heaters are available; or, if you wish, you can make your own. If you make your own you will need a roll of duct tape and faced fiberglass insulation.

• Cut strips of insulation the same length as the circumference of the water heater.
  
   

• Wrap the insulation horizontally around the unit using duct tape to seal the seams where they meet.
  
   

• Make cutouts to leave the thermostat, controls and drain faucets exposed.
  
   

• If you have an electric water heater, cut a cap of insulation to fit the top. Provide slits for the water inlet and outlet pipes.
  
   

• If you have a gas water heater, do not cover the burner access or the flue collar. Leave about 2" of exposed area around the flue collar.
  
   

• Tape any remaining joints and seams.

Replace Furnace Filters:

People in the heating and air conditioning business are always talking about the importance of changing furnace filters. There must be a reason.

Most furnace filters are inexpensive, disposable and easily replaced. There is no good reason to neglect them. On the other hand, clogged filters reduce airflow through the heating/cooling system, forcing the unit to work harder. Severely clogged filters can cause the unit to overheat and can lead to premature compressor damage in air conditioning systems.

Check your furnace filter monthly. In fact, some people say that if you are going to go to the trouble to pull it out and look at it, you might as well go ahead and replace it. If you use the more expensive disposable filters designed to filter out allergens and extremely small particles, you may want to hold the filter up to make sure light still comes through it easily, but even these filters should be replaced at least every three months.

Self-charging electrostatic filters that require no electricity are available. They filter out extremely small particles and last for several years. This type of filter should be cleaned by rinsing from the clean side once a month.

Develop Habits for Practical Energy Conservation:

You can reduce your energy expenditures simply by developing energy saving habits:

• Showers usually require less hot water than baths. Additional savings can be realized by installing simple water-saving shower heads. This will reduce water consumption, which is good for everyone. The primary benefit is lower heating bills brought about by using less energy to heat less water.
  
   

• Use heat-generating appliances such as washers, dryers or ovens during the cooler hours of the morning or evening. This reduces the load on your air conditioner in the summer, and actually helps heat the house in the winter.
  
   

• Electric cooktops are energy drains. Use the appropriate burner for your pan size. Also, flat bottom pots make better contact and conduct heat from the elements more efficiently than pots with warped or rounded bottoms.
  
   

• Wash only full loads of clothes when possible and clean your dryer's lint filter after every load.
  
   

• Consider replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Fluorescent bulbs put out approximately four times as many lumens per watt. For example, a 25 watt fluorescent bulb provides as much light as a 100 watt incandescent bulb. Fluorescent bulbs also last about ten times as long!
  
   

• In the summer, keep drapes and curtains closed on the sunny side of the house. In the winter, open those drapes and curtains on sunny days to take advantage of the sun's heating power. Close all drapes, blinds or shades at night in winter to make use of their insulating properties.
  
   

• Use an exhaust fan to pull excess heat and humidity out of the kitchen and bathroom in the summer. Be aware, however, that exhaust fans can rapidly pull the heat from your house in the winter.
  
   

• Perhaps the most often quoted hint for saving energy in the home is to set thermostats at 68° F in the winter and 78° F in the summer.

Fireplace Dampers and Doors:

Believe it or not, a burning fireplace can actually rob your house of heat by drawing it up the flue! Still, not many people who enjoy their fireplace would be willing to trade it in for smaller heating bills. Fortunately, there is a middle road which allows people to have their fireplace and heat it too:

• If you do not use your fireplace, you may want to seal off and insulate the chimney. Be sure, however, to provide some ventilation for the flue. If you fail to provide ventilation, condensation will form in the chimney. If you seal off your chimney, you also have to remember to remove the insulation if you ever decide to use the fireplace.
  
   

• Check to make sure that your damper is in good working order.
  
   
• Add glass doors to reduce heat loss as the fire dies down.
  
   

• Consider installing a combination tube and glass door insert. The glass door seals the face of the fireplace, and the tube and blower mechanism makes more efficient use of the heat generated by the fire.
  
   

• If you use your fireplace a lot, consider adding a well-designed fireplace heater insert. These units come with blowers and thermostats. They are designed to significantly increase the heating efficiency of the fireplace while maintaining the classic fireplace atmosphere.

For more great tips, visit www.lowes.com.