Easy ways to save money on energy costs at home

Despite efficiency gains in the past few decades, most American homes still squander lots of energy.

This contributes to pollution, climate change and high utility bills. Here are 12 cheap, yet effective actions you can take around your home to help save energy.

To help you start, Consumers’ Checkbook is offering free access to its full 30-item list of ways to save home energy, plus all its other advice and ratings, to Star Tribune readers until March 5 via Checkbook.org/StarTribune/energy.

Holes, cracks and gaps let cold air in and warm air out in the winter and the reverse in the summer. Finding and plugging leaks costs little yet yields significant savings.

Most problems occur where building materials meet, like brick and wood siding. Other common problem areas are around windows and doors; mail slots; points of entry for utility lines; outdoor water faucets; cracks or gaps in foundation materials; and window air-conditioning units.

You can spot most leaks on your own and fix them:

Combined, these measures can save 5% to 20% of your heating and cooling costs.

All structural elements enclosing your home’s living spaces should have insulation. It’s most practical to add insulation when first building a home or during renovations.

Because warm air rises, your attic is the front line in the energy battle. Because most attics are unfinished and pretty empty, adding insulation is easy.

Unheated areas underneath ground floors (crawl spaces, basements) are also good places to add insulation. Crawl spaces should be dry year-round and have a vapor barrier placed on the floor.

Attic insulation jobs typically cost $1,500 to $3,000, but it’s worth doing. Checkbook researchers found improving an average-size home’s attic insulation from R-11 to R-49, the measure for how well insulation resists heat transfer, would generate annual utility savings of about $130. A federal tax credit and other incentives will help cover project costs of most insulation and air-sealing products.

For most homes, setting the thermostat at 68 degrees instead of 70 during winter and 74 instead of 73 during summer will save 10% to 15% per year on heating and cooling costs.

Consider a programmable thermostat. You can save 10% to 25% per year on heating costs by letting the temp decrease while you are out during the day and when you’re under blankets at night. You’ll see similar savings during summer by increasing temps when you’re not home.

Lowering your water heater’s thermostat from 140 degrees to 120 will cut its energy use by 10% to 15%.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, leaky ducts can add 20% or more to a home’s heating and cooling bills. Check for holes or gaps in exposed ductwork and seal them with mastic tape or HVAC foil tape. Also seal gaps where ductwork connects to registers.

It can cost $200 or more to power a family of four’s TVs, computers, cellphone chargers and other tech and small appliances. Yank the cord to electronics you rarely use. Smart power strips (less than $40 each) automatically cut off juice to plugged-in things you haven’t used in some time.

When it’s warm outside, close curtains and blinds to block heat. When it’s cold, open curtains for free warmth. But keep curtains closed to block drafts if your windows don’t see direct rays. Thermal shades provide the most benefit. Make sure curtains don’t block HVAC vents.

If you have a crawl space or unheated basement, check whether any furnace ductwork or pipes that supply hot water run through it. Wrap pipes in foam insulating sleeves, and ask HVAC contractors for advice on the best way to insulate ductwork. If your ducts run through an uninsulated area, you’ll likely save 5% to 15% of heating and cooling costs.

According to Energy Star, as much as 90% of the energy used to wash clothes comes from heating water. In Consumer Reports’ tests, cold water sufficiently cleans most loads. Most families will save $25 to $40 per year.

Many people have extra refrigerators or freezers to handle overflow items. But extra storage comes at a cost, especially if your equipment is old. Most fridges sold in the past 10 years cost about $75 a year to run, while 30-year-old models cost about $140 a year.

Don’t run your dryer longer than necessary. If your dryer has a cool-down setting, it will use heat remaining in the drum at the end of the cycle, while expending very little energy. Before drying, use the highest spin setting on your washer. Option B: Use drying racks or an outdoor clothesline for free evaporation.

Consumer Reports’ tests indicated most newer dishwashers clean well without a pre-rinse or scrub. Scrape off leftovers and load ’er up. After your dishwasher finishes a load, skip the drying cycle, and simply open its door. The remaining heat inside will speed evaporation.

Twin Cities Consumers’ Checkbook magazine and Checkbook.org is a nonprofit organization with a mission to help consumers get the best service and lowest prices. We are supported by consumers and take no money from the service providers we evaluate. You can access Checkbook’s ratings and advice until March 5 at Checkbook.org/StarTribune/energy.