Submitted by Jim Crawford, Field Specialist in Agricultural Engineering, University of Missouri Extension

With winter finally arriving, we are faced with increased costs to heat our homes. There are some simple steps you can take to reduce your energy consumption. My top 10 recommendations are:

• Make sure registers and air returns are not blocked by furniture, curtain, toys etc. This allows air to circulate more freely

• Change the filter on your furnace. This allows the unit to work more efficiently as well as keep the air we breathe cleaner.

• Wash full loads of clothes using cold water. Most detergents are formulated to use cold water. Approximately 90% of the energy used when washing with hot water is used in heating the water.

• Run your dishwasher with a full load and use the air-dry option if available.

• Up to 5% of a home’s electric use can be associated with vampire drains. Even when turned off, many devices are still using electricity. Unplug chargers, TVs, and other devices when not in use to eliminate “phantom energy” drain.

• In winter, open curtains/shade on your west- and south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home and save 2% to 12% off your energy bill.

• Stop air leaks and keep the air conditioned inside your home. A 1/16” gap around a door is equal to a 3.8” square or a 4.3” diameter round hole in the wall of your house! One of the most effective, least expensive things you can do to increase energy efficiency is replace weatherstripping around doors and windows. This is an easy DIY task. Walk around the exterior of your home with a can of spray foam insulation. Fill gaps around cement and bricks and ground pipes.

• Along with weatherstripping, seal gaps outside around windows, doors, dryer vents, etc. with caulk. In my opinion, sealing joints with caulk can provide the largest and quickest return on investment of any home weatherization project. A $3 tube of caulk and a $10 caulking gun can easily pay for itself within a week depending on your home, and it keeps paying you for many years after.

• Insulate the first six feet of both the hot and cold-water lines of your water heater. This reduces heat loss allowing the water to stay hot longer without using energy.

• When you have to replace an appliance, look for these with the Energy Star logo. These devices use less energy to operate. While they may have a larger up-front cost, most will allow you to recoup that cost difference in the first few years through reduced energy consumption.

More information on these tips as well as additional ways to conserve energy can be found on our website at https://extension.missouri.edu/.