Saving energy at home starts with reducing unnecessary heating, cooling, hot water, and electricity use. Some of the most practical ways to cut energy consumption include maintaining your HVAC system, adjusting thermostat settings, improving insulation, and using your large appliances more efficiently.
You don’t need to make every improvement at once, but starting with the areas that use the most energy can help you build better energy habits. For anyone looking for ways to reduce their gas and electricity costs, here are 11 practical steps to saving energy at home.
Where Your Home’s Energy Actually Goes
Not every device in your home uses an equal amount of energy. Heating and cooling systems are some of the largest household energy users, followed by water heating and other major appliances. Other energy use comes from:
- Refrigerators and freezers
- Clothes washers and dryers
- Dishwashers
- Lighting
- TVs and entertainment equipment
- Computers and home office equipment
- Pool pumps and other seasonal equipment
- Devices drawing standby power
Your exact energy use breakdown depends on your home, climate, and equipment.
Where Are Energy Prices Heading?
Energy prices change over time based on fuel costs, electricity demand, weather, and other market conditions. Current projections point to continued increases in residential electricity prices in the near future. An American Gas Association analysis of EIA projections estimates that residential electricity prices on a delivered-energy basis could be about 14% higher in 2027 than they were in 2024, while residential natural gas prices are projected to remain relatively flat over that same comparison period.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration also expects electricity demand to continue growing through 2027. Increased demand from data centers, manufacturing, extreme weather, and other factors can affect wholesale electricity markets and eventually influence what consumers pay.
Keep in mind that forecasts aren’t guarantees. Controlling the energy you actually use is the most practical way to manage your household consumption, regardless of where future prices go.
11 Ways to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient
Improving energy efficiency doesn’t always mean major renovations. These 11 tips can help you reduce energy consumption throughout your home.
1. Get an Annual Furnace or Boiler Tune-Up
Your heating system works hard throughout the winter, and worn or dirty components can impact how well it operates. Annual maintenance allows a qualified technician to inspect your system, clean important components, and identify any developing problems before they lead to a full breakdown.
2. Use a Smart or Programmable Thermostat
Heating or cooling an empty home uses energy you may not need. A smart thermostat can automatically adjust temperatures around your normal schedule. Some smart thermostats can also provide usage information to help you understand how often your HVAC system runs, so you can make energy-saving changes throughout the year.
3. Set Your Ceiling Fans by Season
Ceiling fans don’t change the temperature of a room, but they can change how comfortable it feels. During summer, a counterclockwise rotation creates a cooling breeze, while during winter, the fan can be reversed to keep warm air circulating around the room and prevent it from collecting near the ceiling.
4. Seal Your Ductwork
Leaky ducts allow heated or cooled air to escape into attics, crawl spaces, basements, and wall cavities before it ever reaches the room you’re in. Check your ductwork for loose connections, visible gaps, damaged insulation, or disconnected sections. A professional can also test for leaks that aren’t easy to see and properly seal the system.
5. Find and Seal Drafts Around Windows and Doors
Small gaps around doors and windows can let outdoor air enter and conditioned indoor air escape. Look for drafts around:
- Window frames
- Exterior doors
- Attic access points
- Electrical and plumbing penetrations
- Baseboards
- Fireplace surrounds
Weatherstripping and caulk can help seal small leaks, but larger gaps or damaged windows may need professional repair.
6. Check Your Attic Insulation
Heat naturally moves from warmer areas to cooler ones. Without enough attic insulation, your home can lose heat through the roof during winter and gain unwanted heat during summer. Look for areas where insulation is thin, compressed, wet, or missing. The right amount and type depend on your climate and home construction, so larger projects may need professional assessment.
7. Lower Your Water Heater to 120°F
Water heating is a major source of household energy use. Many homes don’t need the water heater set higher than 120°F, and lowering an unnecessarily high setting can reduce standby heat loss and the energy needed to maintain hot water. A 120°F setting can also reduce the risk of scalding.
Always follow your water heater manufacturer’s instructions and consider household health needs before changing the temperature.
8. Run Large Appliances With Full Loads
Dishwashers, washing machines, and clothes dryers generally use energy more efficiently when you run full loads rather than several partial ones. Because they consume a fixed amount of water and electricity every cycle, running them while they’re only half-full leads to unnecessary waste.
9. Air-Dry Laundry and Dishes When Possible
Electric dryers and dishwashing cycles use additional energy to generate heat. Air drying clothes and dishes can eliminate some of that energy use. Even drying your clothes and washing your dishes once or twice a week without the help of an appliance can substantially reduce the amount of electricity you consume over time.
10. Cut Phantom Power
Some electronics continue drawing electricity even when they appear turned off. This standby consumption is sometimes called phantom power or vampire power. Common sources include:
- Televisions
- Gaming consoles
- Desktop computers
- Chargers
- Printers
- Speakers
- Small kitchen devices
Unplug equipment you rarely use or connect groups of electronics to a power strip that can be switched off. Smart plugs can also make it easier to control devices that don’t need continuous power.
11. Get a Home Energy Audit
If you’re not sure where your home is wasting energy, an energy audit can help you find the biggest culprits. An assessment may evaluate several areas of your home, including:
- Insulation
- Air leakage
- Windows and doors
- Ductwork
- HVAC performance
- Lighting
- Major equipment
- Electrical usage
An audit is especially helpful in older properties where homes were built for lower electrical demand.
Start Saving Energy at Home Today
You don’t need to overhaul your entire home to use less energy. Start with the biggest energy users, such as heating, cooling, and water heating, then address smaller sources of waste through maintenance, air sealing, insulation, and thermostat settings.
In addition to providing reliable natural gas and electricity supply, Agway Energy Services® also providesAgway EnergyGuard® to all its customers as an included benefit. EnergyGuard is a repair program that helps you pay for breakdowns on covered furnaces, boilers, central air conditioners, split air conditioners, and interior electrical wiring.*
While efficiency improvements can reduce the amount of energy you use in the short term, EnergyGuard can help customers save long term on qualifying covered repairs when one of their existing systems develops a problem. Review our residential energy services or learn how to become a new Agway customer to combine reliable energy supply with included EnergyGuard repair protection.
*Coverage depends on commodity purchased.
Home Energy Saving FAQs
What are some common energy-wasting habits I should be aware of?
Common energy-wasting habits include heating or cooling an empty home, leaving lights and electronics on unnecessarily, running partial appliance loads, ignoring dirty HVAC filters, and allowing drafts to go unsealed. Identifying your own common energy-wasting habits is often one of the easiest places to start reducing consumption.
What is the most energy-efficient temperature to set my thermostat?
The most energy-efficient temperature setting for your home is the one that keeps you comfortable while minimizing the difference between indoor and outdoor temperatures. For many people, this is around 68°F in the winter and 78°F in the summer. Adjusting your thermostat when you’re asleep or away can also reduce unnecessary heating and cooling costs.
How often should I service my furnace and AC?
Most heating and cooling systems should receive professional maintenance about once a year, following the manufacturer’s recommendations. Many homeowners have their heating system inspected before periods of regular winter use and their cooling system checked before periods of regular summer use.
Can switching energy suppliers help lower my bill?
In some cases, yes, switching energy suppliers could help lower your energy bill. However, switching suppliers alone doesn’t guarantee that your total energy bill will decrease. Costs depend on your energy use, supply rate, utility delivery charges, taxes, fees, and the terms of your agreement.
