Temperature Conservation Tips

Consider storm or thermal windows and doors or double-paned glass. A less-expensive alternative is plastic sheeting, which can be temporarily fastened over doors and windows to retain heat or air conditioning. Adding this extra barrier to the temperatures could reduce the amount of cooling or heating by 50%.
Hot air and return ducts in the attic or crawl space should be covered with at least two inches of insulation and should be as airtight as possible.
Keeping blinds and drapes closed will keep your house cooler.
Consider attaching a small inexpensive diverter to your dryer vent. With a diverter, in winter you can send warm moist air into your house, instead of into the back yard. In summer, flip the lever and the dryer is vented to the outside again.
Use draperies, awnings, blinds or shutters on all windows to slow the loss of heat through the glass. In winter, keep window coverings open on sunny days to let the sun's warmth in and close them at night to insulate against cold, outside air. Use drapes, shutters, awnings, shade trees, glass with reflective film or solar screens to keep sunlight out in the summer.
Install a programmable thermostat and set it to accurately follow your schedule. If no one is home during the day, there's no need to keep your house toasty. Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the furnace or air-conditioner according to a pre-set schedule. Programmable thermostats can store and repeat multiple daily settings (six or more temperature settings a day) that you can manually override without affecting the rest of the daily or weekly program.
Correctly positioned shade trees can reduce indoor home temperatures by up to 20 degrees and reduce cooling costs by up to 40%.
Thermostats should never be turned up high to heat a home in a hurry. The heater will stay on longer and waste energy. And the room will not heat up any faster.
A dirty furnace filter can drive up the cost of heating your home. Change or clean filters in heating and cooling units at least four times a year.
Adjust vents to keep specific rooms of your home at a desired temperature. Heat rises, so you may want to partially close upstairs vents. Check with your heating contractor to see if this will work well with your heating system design.
Check to see if your attic and crawlspace and/or basement have recommended levels of insulation. Add insulation as needed.
For safety and efficiency, keep all heating vents and furnace registers free of dirt, lint and obstructions.
Have your air ducts tested for leaks. Ducts should be repaired with mastic-type sealant – not duct tape. You could save 5 to 20% of your heating costs.
Put on your favorite sweater and set your thermostats between 65 and 68 degrees during the winter. For sleep hours, set the temperature at least 5 degrees lower and add a cozy blanket to your bed. When away from home for more than a few hours, set your thermostat at 58 degrees. (Warmer temperatures are recommended for homes with ill or elderly persons or infants).
Closets and cabinets on outside walls can leak a great deal of air, so make sure the doors fit snugly and keep them tightly closed.
Rearrange furniture by placing it against inside walls - you're less likely to feel cool drafts if you're not sitting next to the outside walls.
Close vents and doors in unused rooms. Check with your heating/HVAC contractor to see if this will work well with your heating system design.
Don’t use your oven on hot summer days. In winter, bake away!
If pipes or ducts run through unheated areas, insulate them.
Avoid blocking heating vents and air returns with furniture, draperies or carpet.
Purchase some inexpensive, pre-cut insulation gaskets and seal out the cold air entering your home through electrical switches and outlet plates, particularly those on outside walls.
Weather-strip your door. Some need to be nailed into place. Others come backed with adhesive so once you clean the surface you can simply stick the weather stripping on. You can also take a bath towel, roll it up and set it against the bottom of the door.
Seal leaks around doors, windows and other openings, such as pipes or ducts, with caulking or weather-stripping.
A home with inadequate insulation can lose up to 40% of cool air in summer or 60% of heat in the winter.
Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans sparingly in cold weather. In just one hour, these fans can blow away a household of warm air.
If you have ceiling fans, make sure the mountings are snug and tight. Use clear caulking to seal any leaks. Even minor cracks around the base can let in lots of cold air.
If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
A humidifier - either on your furnace or as a separate unit - can help control heating costs. You'll feel warmer in moist air, so you can set your thermostat lower. A more inexpensive option is to near the end of your shower, close the stopper and let some of that hot water sit in the tub. It will add humidity to the air.