Rule of thumb: Try to surpass the 2.3% yearly average with energy saving home improvements that decrease your energy consumption by 5% or more but have a modest initial investment. Remember, to ask whether your utility or state government offers rebates or tax credits for these improvements.
1. Seal and insulate ductwork that passes through unheated spaces—the attic, a crawl space, a garage. This one improvement can enhance the efficiency of your heating and cooling system by 20%—a 5% reduction in your monthly bill. If you employ an HVAC pro to perform this job, you'll spend a few hundred dollars for labor and materials.
2. Purchase a programmable thermostat. For merely $25 to $250, you can save, on average, around 8% on energy bills simply by programming it properly.
3. Increase attic insulation and seal air leaks. This is one of the best energy-saving improvements out there. Just by insulating and sealing your home can reduce your energy bills by 10%. Improving your attic insulation to the R-value recommended for your region costs anywhere from $.25 to $1 per square foot, including materials and labor; it's less if you do it yourself.
But you won't get the maximum savings if you don't seal air leaks, so plan this as a combo job. Caulking and weather-stripping usually costs from $50 to $350, depending on the size of your house.
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