10 Ways to Save the Most for Energy Awareness Month

10 Tips for Energy Savings

Happy Energy Awareness Month! This month is all about knowing where the energy we pay for is going — and making sure it’s being used in the best way it can!

When it comes to energy efficiency, no effort is too small. New habits can lead to lifelong energy savings. This month is the perfect opportunity to think about your energy consumption and its impact on the environment, as well as your budget. Together, we can all take proactive steps in conserving energy, reducing waste, and adopting sustainable practices.

Focus on Energy wants to make it easy to save more energy in your home this season. We’ve gathered 10 things you can implement to increase your savings this fall and year-round.

Energy Awareness Month Campaign Blog Body Image 3

Turn off the lights in unoccupied rooms. If you have multiple lights turned on in the room you are using, decide if just one could provide enough light for you.
Order your Free Energy-Saving Pack. You can choose from multiple energy-saving packs full of a variety of efficient home products — all sent straight to your doorstep for free!
Unplug equipment when not in use. Even when just sitting there, items like cell phone chargers, fans, coffeemakers, desktop printers, radios, and more can be pulling energy. Use advanced power strips to simultaneously turn off all equipment in an area when not in use to eliminate standby power consumption.
Leverage nature’s heat. During the day, open curtains on your south-facing windows to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home. Close your curtains at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
Install a smart thermostat. Smart thermostats can save energy by learning your household’s patterns and automatically adjusting your home’s temperature settings throughout the day, which also leads to less wear-and-tear on your HVAC/heating system and fewer maintenance needs.
Schedule a home energy assessment. An assessment from a trained Trade Ally contractor will identify areas in your home that cause drafts, discomfort, high energy bills, and will also look at health and safety issues. You’ll get a roadmap to energy efficiency tailored to your home and your needs.
Upgrade the insulation in your home. Insulation slows down the movement of heat, keeping it where you want it. It can help increase home comfort and block noise.
Upgrade the air sealing in your home. Air sealing works to prevent air leakage, which puts an extra burden on your heating and cooling system and makes it more difficult and expensive to maintain your preferred temperature. Typical trouble spots include attics, interior walls, electrical outlets, and light fixtures — areas where it is easy for warm air to escape or sneak into your home.
Replace your heating and cooling equipment. Your system may be old or out-dated, so check to see if it’s time for a new one. Choose from energy-efficient HVAC upgrades, such as a new furnace, boiler, A/C unit, or air source heat pump. Energy-efficient HVAC equipment consumes 10-30% less fuel, runs quieter, and maintains a more consistent home temperature. Qualified equipment may be eligible for an instant discount!
Proactively replace non-LED lightbulbs. The sooner non-LED bulbs are replaced, the sooner energy bills go down. Throwing away bulbs early is much less wasteful than energy wasted to power inefficient bulbs. (Just be sure to dispose of CFL bulbs properly.)

Bring Your Tips Home

To help turn these tips into energy-saving habits this season, we’ve made a printable version of this checklist just for you. Feel free to download and hang somewhere in your home that will help you remember to save energy wherever you can — it all adds up!

Download the Energy Awareness Month Checklist

Related Blogs

Racine Unified School District: Five-Year Energy Efficiency Journey

Trade Ally Contractors: Your Partners in Saving Energy

What You Need to Know About the Home Energy Tax Credit Ending