Heating and cooling uses about half of the energy in a typical home, accounting for about $1500 a year in annual costs and some 10% of US greenhouse gases emissions. Because these systems condition large amounts of air in homes and apartments, there are many places to look for energy savings. Follow this checklist, then reexamine your home for potential savings unique to your living space.

  • Get a tune up: Regular maintenance provides about a 5% performance pick-me-up. Tune-ups cut operational costs, also increase the longevity of the system, decrease downtime and repair costs, and reduce pollution.
  • Oil-fired boilers and central air conditioners need yearly maintenance.
  • Gas-fired systems need a checkup every two years.
  • Heat pumps need a professional once-over every two or three years (check your manual).
  • Got steam? Bleed trapped air from hot water radiators, maintain the water level, remove sediment, and make certain air vents are working. Don't know how to do this? Summon a professional.
  • Check air filters regularly; clean or replace. Most common filters are replaced monthly, but some systems require only annual replacement.
  • Seal and insulate your ducts. The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California did a before-and-after study where they sealed and insulated the duct systems in 24 homes. The efficiency of delivering heating and cooling rose from 64% to 76% and average energy use dropped 18%. That's money in your pocket.
  • Clean your registers. Vents for delivering conditioned air and returning it to the blower should be kept clean. Make sure they are not blocked by furniture, carpets, drapes, toys, or piles of laundry.
  • Don't block baseboard heat or radiators.
  • Using a room air conditioner? Close the "fresh air" vent so you are not trying to cool your entire neighborhood.
  • Clear the area: Your outdoor air conditioner compressor unit should be free of yard and landscape obstructions. Cut the grass and trim back the shrubbery, always remembering that yard waste belongs in the compost and not in the compressor.
  • Clean the coils: Indoor and outdoor air conditioning coils accumulate dirt and dust, sapping performance by as much as 8%. Soapy water and gentle scrubbing will do the job, but consult your manual for any precautions and full instructions.