March 26, 2026

Blog

Tips for Saving Energy at Home

Saving energy at home is one of the most practical steps any household can take to lower utility bills, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and improve the overall home's energy efficiency — and the good news is that most of the changes cost very little to implement.

Energy efficiency has become a high priority for most families and businesses. It is good for the environment, the economy, and your budget.

Besides being “clean and green” and lowering your carbon footprint, becoming energy efficient presents a great opportunity to save money. It's a win-win for everyone, and it's not difficult to achieve.

There are dozens of ways to get started, ranging from changing your energy usage habits to contracting a professional for a home energy audit.

Whether you're dealing with cold weather in the colder months or trying to cut cooling costs during hot weather, the fundamentals of energy saving remain the same: reduce energy waste, eliminate air leaks, and make sure your heating and cooling systems are running efficiently.

The cumulative effect of these small steps adds up to significant energy savings — and often a noticeably more comfortable home year-round.

Saving Energy at Home: Start with a Home Energy Audit

The simplest way to get started is to conduct your own basic home energy audit, described below, and to adopt a few new habits. Energy.gov has a good list of simple steps you can take.

Unplugging your phone charger when it's not in use to avoid phantom loads and turning fans and lights off in empty rooms seem like obvious habits, but they need to become routine.

Lighting costs constitute 10% of most households' electricity bills. You can cut a further 75% from your lighting bill by switching to compact fluorescent light bulbs (known as CFLs), and even more with LED bulbs.

Speaking of light bulbs — replacing incandescent light bulbs with LED equivalents is one of the fastest-payback upgrades available. LED bulbs use up to 80% less energy than incandescent light bulbs, last significantly longer than older models, and produce far less heat, which also reduces the load on your air conditioning in hot weather.

Adding motion sensors to rooms that are frequently left lit — hallways, bathrooms, garages — means lights will automatically turn off when no one is present, eliminating one of the most common sources of energy waste without any change in daily habits.

Related article: Going, Green

Changing the settings on household appliances can bring down your power usage too. Turn down your water heater to 120°F. Set the thermostat on your air conditioning to 78°F instead of 72°F during the summer.

(That can reduce your cooling bill by up to 18%.) Programmable thermostats that automatically reduce furnace and A/C usage can save up to $150 a year on cooling, and far more on heating.

Inaccurate temperature information can make the furnace or A/C do more work than necessary, so move your TV, computer, lamps, and other heat-producing appliances a few feet away from your thermostats so they don’t think the room is warmer than it really is.

Upgrading to an Energy Star-certified air conditioner or cooling system is another big savings opportunity. Energy Star-rated units use significantly less energy than older models, and the federal government offers tax credits for qualifying Energy Star purchases.

When shopping for large appliances, always check the Energy Star label — it's the simplest shortcut to identifying products that meet EPA-recommended energy efficiency standards.

Related article: Taking Advantage of the Solar Energy Tax Credit

Find out how a custom solar panel system can protect you from rising utility rates for the next 25+ years. Request a custom solar proposal now!

Seal Air Leaks and Improve Insulation

Energy.gov offers a DIY guide to performing a simple but effective home energy audit that will help you identify major energy wasters in the home itself and its major systems, while making it easier for a professional energy assessor to follow up.

The basics of the home audit include locating and fixing air leaks, testing ventilation, meeting recommended insulation levels, and ensuring that vapor barriers are installed.

Sealing air leaks is one of the highest-impact ways to reduce energy consumption — especially in the colder months when warm air escapes through gaps around windows, doors, and the duct system.

Weather stripping around doors and windows prevents heat loss and stops cold air from infiltrating in cold weather, reducing the load on your heating and cooling system considerably.

Check your duct system for leaks too — poorly sealed ducts can waste energy by allowing warm air or cool air to escape before it reaches the rooms you're trying to condition.

Related article: How Solar Works When It's Not Sunny)

Don’t overlook attic vents and air flow management. Proper attic vents allow hot rising air to escape in summer, reducing the burden on your air conditioning and cooling system, while good air circulation in winter helps distribute warm air more evenly through the home.

Ceiling fans are a simple, energy-efficient way to improve air circulation year-round — running them counterclockwise in summer pushes cool air down, and clockwise in winter circulates warm air that has risen to the ceiling back into the living space, which can reduce heat loss and heating costs.

Close blinds on south- and west-facing windows during hot weather to block radiant heat gain, and open them in cold weather to let in passive solar warm air.

Additional Energy Saving Tips You Can Start Right Now

Here are additional resources and quick-action habits worth adopting to start saving even more on your energy bill:

Washing Clothes

Washing clothes in cold water instead of hot water saves significant energy — most of the energy used in a washing cycle goes to heating the water, not running the machine.

Wash full loads whenever possible, and air dry when the weather permits to eliminate dryer energy use entirely. Clean the lint trap before every dryer cycle to maintain proper airflow, and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on load size to reduce wear on the appliance and energy per cycle.

Unplugging Large Appliances

Unplug large appliances and electronics you rarely use, including a second refrigerator in the garage that may be running nearly empty. These quietly draw power around the clock.

A power strip with an on/off switch makes it easy to cut power to clusters of electronics — TVs, gaming consoles, chargers — that continue to draw power in standby mode even when not actively in use. This is one of the simplest ways to eliminate energy waste with no reduction in comfort.

Regular Maintenance

Regular maintenance on your cooling system, water heater, and furnace keeps them running at peak efficiency. Replace the air filter on schedule per the manufacturer’s recommendations — a clogged air filter forces the system to work harder, increasing energy use and shortening equipment life.

Draining the water heater annually helps maintain the temperature setting accurately and reduces the energy needed to keep the water hot. Using the smallest pump setting appropriate for your needs on circulating systems also reduces energy use without affecting air circulation or hot air distribution.

Related article: Tips for Home Generator Maintenance)

Ultimately, performing an energy audit will help you decide where to invest and determine how long it will take to reap the rewards. Besides reducing your energy consumption and saving money, you may simply enjoy the extra comfort of living in a warmer, better-insulated house.

Solar energy installer TerraSol Energies encourages all homeowners in Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey, and Delaware to take steps to save energy. Learn more about TerraSol.

Because the ultimate form of saving energy at home isn’t just using less energy — it's generating your own. Contact us today at 888-873-9995 to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can you save energy in your home?

You can easily save energy by switching to LED light bulbs, lowering your water heater to 120°F, washing clothes in cold water, and consistently unplugging unused electronics.

What wastes the most energy in a house?

Heating and cooling (HVAC) systems waste the most energy, especially when overworking due to air leaks around windows, poor insulation, clogged air filters, and electronics drawing "phantom power" in standby mode.

How to save energy in a household?

Reduce daily consumption by using power strips to turn off clusters of idle electronics, running only full loads of laundry, and installing motion sensors to manage lighting in empty rooms automatically.

How to improve energy efficiency at home?

Permanently improve efficiency by sealing air leaks with weather stripping, upgrading to Energy Star-certified appliances, and installing a programmable thermostat to automate your heating and cooling schedules.

Robert Santoleri

About the Author

Robert Santoleri is President of TerraSol Energies, Inc., a family-owned solar installer serving Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware since 2009. With a background in finance, Rob focuses on helping homeowners and business owners evaluate solar as a financial investment rather than just a purchase and works directly with clients on incentive eligibility, financing options, and long-term return on investment.