Smarter gas usage

Make an immediate difference in your energy costs with these easy changes:

• Turn off equipment when not in use.
• Verify that the timed settings on your heating and air conditioning system match when your building is in use.
• Lower the thermostat on your furnace by one degree and save up to 3 percent in energy usage.
• Close curtains, shades and blinds at night, on weekends and all times when your building is unoccupied.

Use this checklist when planning for upgrades:

• Add weather stripping, caulking or foam insulation around windows and doors to help reduce drafts.
• Caulk ducts, plumbing openings, recessed lighting fixtures and other spaces that leak air into walls, floors and ceilings.
• Upgrade to products with the ENERGY STAR^® label.
• Ensure that the furnace damper works correctly to avoid heating cold, outside air.

Start budgeting for energy saving upgrades:

• Hire a contractor to check your central heating and cooling ducts for leaks. Sealing and insulating air ducts can help improve system efficiency by up to 20 percent.
• Replace windows with high-efficiency ENERGY STAR windows. Replacing windows can help reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 15 percent.
• Fix or upgrade defective plumbing, air ducts and pipes.