5 Tips for Home Energy Savings

During the summer, programmable thermostats can help save energy -- and reduce utility bills -- by raising your home's temperature at predetermined times, such as when you're at work.

In the winter, they conserve power by lowering the temperature of your home at select times, such as while you're sleeping.

"It doesn't take more energy to reheat the house than you save during periods of set-back, despite the myth to the contrary," says Bruce Harley, technical director of Conservation Services Group of Westborough, Mass., and author of "Cut Your Energy Bills Now" and "Insulate and Weatherize."

Remember, the programmable feature won't save you a dime unless you actually use it.

"Programmable thermostats by themselves don't actually save money -- unless you use them," he says. "Most models out there today come pre-programmed, which makes it a lot easier for them to do their job."

SAVINGS: A programmable thermostat can trim between 1 percent and 5 percent off your heating and/or cooling energy costs, Harley says.

Unplugging small electronics like hair dryers and toaster ovens won't save much energy, Harley says. Meanwhile, certain energy-hogging appliances -- such as refrigerators -- need to remain plugged in at all times.

However, other devices should be unplugged when not in use. Many devices use small amounts of energy even when turned off. These include TVs, DVD players, stereo equipment, computers, printers and fax machines.

You'll save energy by plugging devices into a power strip and then turning the strip off when you aren't using the devices, Harley says. Putting a computer into "sleep" or "hibernation" mode when it's not in use also trims electricity costs.

You can net big savings by flipping the switch on one item in particular, Harley says.

"If you leave your furnace fan set to 'on' rather than to 'auto,' switching it back to 'auto' can save you up to $50 a month for any months in which you usually leave it 'on,'" he says.

SAVINGS: "The savings may vary a lot depending on what items you have and how diligent you are, but it's probably in the range of $20 to $100 a year for most families," Harley says.

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