A Green Valentine from Energy Star
To make your Valentine’s Day even warmer, here are some "warm and fuzzy" tips to snuggle by and more ways that you can get involved in reducing climate change this winter.
Kiss by the Light of a CFL
Shed beautiful light on the one you love by replacing your five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR qualified lights. Replacing incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs can save $70 a year in energy costs and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs. Also look for ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures for shedding light on snuggles inside or illuminating porch-step goodnight kisses.
Cupid’s Got You in Spin Cycle
Fall in love this Valentine’s weekend with an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance. From clothes washers to refrigerators to dishwashers, these handsome appliances offer all the attractive qualities you want while using less energy. Less energy means that you can save on your utility bills, but you can save even more with state rebates on ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, water heaters, and HVAC. Clothes washers and refrigerators have an average rebate of roughly $100-$150. The average rebate for dishwashers and room air conditioners is around $50. Rebates vary by state, so visit www.energysavers.gov/rebates to see what’s available in your area. Gotta love a cheap date.
Is Your Envelope Sealed with a Kiss?
The exterior of your home – the outer walls, ceiling, windows, and floor – is called the "envelope" or "shell." Sealing and insulating can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10 percent on total annual energy bills). It will also make your home more comfortable and help your heating and cooling system run more efficiently so that you can cozy up to a loved one. If your attic is accessible and you like home improvement projects, you can Do-It-Yourself with help from our DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating with ENERGY STAR, which offers step-by-step instructions for sealing common air leaks and adding insulation to the attic. You can also hire a contractor who can use special diagnostic tools to pinpoint and seal the hidden air leaks in your home before adding insulation. XOXO.
Make a Hot Date to Change Your Air Filter
...and keep it clean, kids. Heavy use months like January and February are good times to check your HVAC filter. If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool – wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system – leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.
Come on Baby, Light My Fire
A fireplace that leaks cold air isn’t romantic. Chimneys or furnace flues that penetrate your attic floor have holes or gaps around them that can allow the air in your home to escape through the attic, increasing your energy bill and causing more drafts. Seal hidden air leaks to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Around chimney and furnace flues that can get hot, cover the gaps with metal flashing and caulk small gaps with high temperature caulk. Learn more in the DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating with ENERGY STAR.
Love Your Programmable Thermostat
No one keeps you cozy like your pal PT. The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills – nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. Homeowners can save about $180 a year by properly setting their programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings. Check out EPA’s interactive programmable thermostat tool to learn more. Treat PT right and you’ll feel warm with love.
Already taking steps to reduce your energy use? Tell us how you save! Share your story to inspire others to take similar actions.
Kiss by the Light of a CFL
Shed beautiful light on the one you love by replacing your five most frequently used light fixtures or the bulbs in them with ENERGY STAR qualified lights. Replacing incandescent bulbs with ENERGY STAR qualified CFLs can save $70 a year in energy costs and last up to 10 times longer than standard incandescent light bulbs. Also look for ENERGY STAR qualified fixtures for shedding light on snuggles inside or illuminating porch-step goodnight kisses.
Cupid’s Got You in Spin Cycle
Fall in love this Valentine’s weekend with an ENERGY STAR qualified appliance. From clothes washers to refrigerators to dishwashers, these handsome appliances offer all the attractive qualities you want while using less energy. Less energy means that you can save on your utility bills, but you can save even more with state rebates on ENERGY STAR qualified appliances, water heaters, and HVAC. Clothes washers and refrigerators have an average rebate of roughly $100-$150. The average rebate for dishwashers and room air conditioners is around $50. Rebates vary by state, so visit www.energysavers.gov/rebates to see what’s available in your area. Gotta love a cheap date.
Is Your Envelope Sealed with a Kiss?
The exterior of your home – the outer walls, ceiling, windows, and floor – is called the "envelope" or "shell." Sealing and insulating can save up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10 percent on total annual energy bills). It will also make your home more comfortable and help your heating and cooling system run more efficiently so that you can cozy up to a loved one. If your attic is accessible and you like home improvement projects, you can Do-It-Yourself with help from our DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating with ENERGY STAR, which offers step-by-step instructions for sealing common air leaks and adding insulation to the attic. You can also hire a contractor who can use special diagnostic tools to pinpoint and seal the hidden air leaks in your home before adding insulation. XOXO.
Make a Hot Date to Change Your Air Filter
...and keep it clean, kids. Heavy use months like January and February are good times to check your HVAC filter. If the filter looks dirty after a month, change it. At a minimum, change the filter every 3 months. A dirty filter will slow down air flow and make the system work harder to keep you warm or cool – wasting energy. A clean filter will also prevent dust and dirt from building up in the system – leading to expensive maintenance and/or early system failure.
Come on Baby, Light My Fire
A fireplace that leaks cold air isn’t romantic. Chimneys or furnace flues that penetrate your attic floor have holes or gaps around them that can allow the air in your home to escape through the attic, increasing your energy bill and causing more drafts. Seal hidden air leaks to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Around chimney and furnace flues that can get hot, cover the gaps with metal flashing and caulk small gaps with high temperature caulk. Learn more in the DIY Guide to Sealing and Insulating with ENERGY STAR.
Love Your Programmable Thermostat
No one keeps you cozy like your pal PT. The average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills – nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. Homeowners can save about $180 a year by properly setting their programmable thermostats and maintaining those settings. Check out EPA’s interactive programmable thermostat tool to learn more. Treat PT right and you’ll feel warm with love.
Already taking steps to reduce your energy use? Tell us how you save! Share your story to inspire others to take similar actions.
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