- Compare your energy usage on your billing statement from month to month and from year to year to become aware of what impacts your energy use.
- Evaluate your insulation levels to determine if you have enough to keep you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. In the winter, cold floors and walls are a sign of a poorly insulated home.
- Check your hot water heater’s temperature to make sure it’s safe and efficient — 120 degrees is plenty!
- Check your refrigerator and freezer temperatures to make sure the refrigerator is set between 37 and 40 degrees F and your freezer temperature is between 0 and 5 degrees F.
- Check your heating equipment to make sure it is working properly and clean or replace the furnace filters.
- Inspect your windows and doors for air leaks. If you see daylight around a door or window frame, then the door or window leaks. Seal up the leaks by caulking, adding weather stripping, or installing a door sweep. Visit our How-To Videos page for videos on how to assist you with energy saving projects.
- Wrap your hot water tank and install pipe insulation on the first 10 feet of the hot water pipe.
- Install low-flow faucet aerators and showerheads. Visit our How-To Videos page for videos on how to assist you with energy saving projects.
- Replace incandescent light bulbs that are used more than three hours a day with energy-efficient CFLs or LEDs. Visit our How-To Videos page for videos on how to assist you with energy saving projects.
- See what rebates or tax credits may be available for qualifying insulation measures, programmable thermostats, and high efficiency natural gas equipment here.
In Montana, you may be eligible for a free energy audit. The audit provides you with a customized report on your energy usage, recommendations to better manage energy costs, and information on rebates. For more information about a free home energy audit, go here, or call 800-823-5995.