Ten Tips for Saving Energy This Fall 

Explore these tips to manage your energy use.

 

With the change in season, some simple changes at home can help you save energy—while still maintaining comfort—in the cooler fall months.  

1. Get a free energy-saving pack. FOCUS ON ENERGY^®, our partner in energy efficiency, offers eligible customers a variety of energy-saving packs, including weatherization, sent at no cost to you. Visit focusonenergy.com/free to select one. 
2. Reset your thermostat. When you are home and awake, set the thermostat to 68°F or as low as is comfortable and your health permits. When you are asleep or away, turn the thermostat to 60°F to reduce your energy use by as much as 10% a year. Also consider a smart thermostat, which makes it easy to set back your temperature.  
3. Consider a heat pump, which is an energy-efficient way to heat and cool your home. If you have a heat pump, you can "set it and forget it" until the seasons change again. Learn more about heat pumps.
4. Skip the space heaters. Using a space heater on high for four hours a day every day for a month will cost about $30. Using it on low will cost about $15. Using your furnace, even for just a few hours a day, is more energy efficient.  
5. Let in the sun during the day to warm your room, and close your window treatments in the evening to keep out the colder night air.  
6. Change your ceiling fans to rotate clockwise. This forces warmer air to the floor. 
7. Close upper returns and open lower returns. This allows the cooler air near the floor to be pulled back to the furnace to be reheated.   
8. Seal air leaks by adding caulk or weather stripping around leaky doors and windows. 
9. Cover drafty windows with insulating drapes or shades.   
10. Schedule routine service for your home heating system. Replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed.    

Interested in learning more about your home's energy efficiency? Consider an energy assessment. Focus on Energy can help you find a qualified trade ally contractor to perform the assessment, which will help identify and prioritize projects. Visit focusonenergy.com to get started.   

Saving energy helps to reduce our collective carbon footprint. Explore the Energy Use section for other energy-saving ideas. If you have energy-related questions, contact our energy experts on our Home Energy Line at 608-252-7117 or AskExperts@mge.com. 

published: Aug-29-2024