5 Easy Things You Can Do Today to Slash Your Utility Bills Forever

So you've swapped your incandescent lightbulbs for CFLs, turned down the thermostat, and only wash clothes on cold. Then why are your utility bills still so high? Air leaks are likely culprits, but so are "phantom" power suckers, such as flat-screen TVs, which draw energy even when they're off.

To help pinpoint exactly where you are burning through resources-and cash-we polled energy consultants across the country. The simplest route, they agree, is to have a professional auditor detect leaks with sophisticated tools, such as blower doors and infrared cameras. Your local utility may offer this service for free, but if it doesn't, the cost is typically $400. Or you can do some easy tests yourself and put your money toward addressing the problems. "There are many steps homeowners can take before calling a pro," says Jeffrey Gordon, spokesperson for the New York State Energy Research Development Authority. "With a little knowledge and determination, you might be surprised by your next power bill." Read on to learn how to spot and stop some of the biggest energy wasters.-John Morell, This Old House magazine

Find more ways to cut utility costs at thisoldhouse.com.

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1. Replace Your Furnace

The problem: While gas-fired furnaces can last 20 years or more, ones made before 1992 are only 55 to 78 percent efficient, compared with up to 97 percent for today's.

How to spot it: If your furnace has a pilot light, it's likely more than 20 years old and only about 60 percent efficient. If this telltale sign isn't present, ask an HVAC pro to inspect the furnace and assign it an annual fuel utilization efficiency (AFUE) rating based on its age. An AFUE of 80, for instance, means that 80 percent of the fuel burned is converted into heat for your home.

How to stop it: Replace an old furnace with a properly sized modern unit with a high AFUE. Manufacturers now display the rating right on the furnace so that consumers can easily compare the efficiency of various models. Expect to pay $2,500 to $4,000, including installation. On the high end are ultraefficient furnaces with a rating of 97, such as Trane's XV95. Its variable-speed fan motor adjusts to provide a consistent flow of warm air, making your home more cozy and saving you extra cash over the long haul.

The payoff: Cut your heating-fuel bill by more than 30 percent by replacing a 60-percent-efficient furnace with one that's 97 percent efficient.

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2. Weatherize Drafty Windows

The problem: Outside air comes in and warmed air escapes through leaky frames, accounting for 10 to 25 percent of your heating costs.

How to spot it: On a blustery day, close all windows and exterior doors and the chimney-flue damper. Light a stick of incense, move it around the perimeter of each window, and watch for air that interrupts the delicate rise of smoke.

How to stop it: First check the window from the outside, paying close attention to where its casing meets your home's siding. "This is an area that often doesn't get the kind of attention it needs," says Ted Kidd, an energy consultant in Rochester, New York. Scrape out any cracked or dried caulk, and apply a fresh bead of paintable acrylic latex, such as DAP's Alex Plus. On the inside, add new weatherstripping. For a few hours' work, you can make an old wood double-hung airtight using a kit like the Easy-Stop Weather-Stripping System ($74 per window; advancedrepair.com). The kit contains a silicone flap for the bottom rail of the lower sash and a pile strip for its top meeting rail. Also included are new paintable cellular PVC parting beads (narrow bands that separate the upper and lower sashes) with built-in insulation.

The payoff: Shave up to $20 off your annual energy bill for each window you weatherize.

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3. Solve Utility Bill Mysteries

The problem: Most bills don't break down energy consumption by category, such as heating, cooking, and lighting, making it almost impossible to target where you are overspending.

How to spot it: Sign up for one of the dozens of new pilot programs offered by regional utility companies to help homeowners pinpoint and control their usage with a digital energy-management system.

How to stop it: Hook major appliances and electronics up to smart plugs, or relays, which transfer information to a Wi-Fi-enabled control panel that sits at a central location in your home, such as the kitchen counter. This device-it can also switch appliances on or off and adjust a programmable thermostat from home or remotely via a computer or smartphone-gives you a real-time look at how much energy you're using in kilowatt hours and dollars. "You can determine immediately what's costing you the most money and decide if it's worth keeping that item plugged in," says Paige Layne of Duke Energy, which is currently supplying customers with Cisco's Home Energy Controller (shown at left) free of charge in select markets in the South and Midwest. If your utility isn't offering such trials, you can buy a monitoring kit at an electronics store, such as Best Buy, for as little as $100.

The payoff: Save 10 to 25 percent on your electric bill by tracking 
down unwanted energy hogs and using the consumption data to change your habits.

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4. Prevent Under-the-Door Air Infiltration

The problem: While most homeowners weatherstrip around the jamb, they often overlook the area beneath an exterior door.

How to spot it: Close the door on a piece of paper placed on the threshold and give it a tug. If it pulls out easily, air is passing through.

How to stop it: Install a sweep seal. This metal strip with a piece of vinyl attached uses spring action to close the space between the threshold and door. There are also foam, vinyl, and felt seals that fit under the door or on the threshold to prevent air transfer. Whichever type you choose, it's an easy DIY installation that'll cost just $10 to $20.

The payoff: Coupled with weatherstripping, a sweep seal can prevent 11 percent of the outside air that typically seeps in around exterior doors from getting into interior spaces.

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5. Keep Your Fridge From Being Overworked

The problem: Your fridge never gets a day off. Over time, wear and tear 
on the door's rubber gasket, as well as built-up dirt and dust on coils, erode its efficiency and make it more expensive to operate.

How to spot it: Close the refrigerator door on a piece of paper. If you don't feel resistance when you pull it out, the gasket seal is broken and chilled air is escaping. Mold or moisture on the gasket are other telltale signs, says Brown.

How to stop it: Order a new gasket from the fridge manufacturer for $60 to $90, depending on the make and model. Remove the damaged gasket and install the replacement yourself, following the manufacturer's instructions. While you're at it, use a long-handled duster to clean the exposed coils located underneath or on the back of the appliance. For a fridge more than 20 years old, no amount of maintenance will bring it up to today's efficiency standards. It's better to retire it and invest in a new, Energy Star-qualified model. KitchenAid's new Architect Series II French door fridge even goes a step further-it has an efficiency rating that's 20 percent higher than the U.S. Department of Energy standard.

The payoff: Replacing the gasket and cleaning the coils can improve your fridge's cooling abilities by 25 percent. Swapping a 1980s fridge for a new, Energy Star one can shave more than $100 per year off your electric bill and nearly $200 annually if you have a 1970s model.

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See all the ways you can slash your utility bill by doing a DIY energy audit at thisoldhouse.com.


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