• Efficiency Stars. Eliminate fossil fuels such as gas and oil from your home by installing a super high efficiency heat pump system for heating and cooling and a super high efficiency hot water heat pump to heat your hot water and keep your energy costs down. If you are unable to install a super high efficiency heat pump system be sure your AC unit has a SEER rating over 13. Before 1979, the SEERs of central air conditioners ranged from 4.5 to 8.0. Replacing a 1970s-era central air conditioner with a SEER of 6 with a new unit having a SEER of 12 will cut your air conditioning costs in half.
   
• Good Insulation. Common leaks occur around windows, doors, and other wall penetrations. Plugging those leaks with weather stripping and caulking can be a simple task for anyone and can save money through increased energy efficiency. Finding leaks can be just as easy, as they can occur just about anywhere. Electrical outlets, switch plates, window frames, baseboards, doors, fireplace dampers, attic hatches, and wall- or window-mounted air conditioners are all prime spots for air leaks. Check for any obvious holes or cracked caulking.
   
• Don't get Blinded! Another option is to add an awning that can be retracted in winter. Window awnings installed on west-facing windows can reduce solar heat gain in summer by up to 77%. Modern awnings are made of waterproof materials, such as dacron, vinyl, and acrylic, that resist mildew and fading. For more about awnings, visit the Department of Energy’s review of Window Awnings.
   
• Programmable Thermostats. Programmable thermostats are a quick way to make your home more energy efficient. Using ENERGY STAR -certified thermostats, you can not only pre-program your desired temperature, you can also lower or raise it when no one is home. During the Summer, while you are at work and the kids are at school, there is no need to have the home cooled to 78 degrees. Set it to 85 degrees and program it to lower itself to 78 degrees one hour before people start coming home.

• Drop that Drip! Dripping faucets and leaky pipes are among the worst water-wasting offenders. Enlist some help and invest a weekend to make certain sure that your appliances aren't big water wasters.
   
• The Final Flow. Low-flush toilets and low-flow showerheads help to ensure conservation by restricting the volume of water involved in each flush or during each shower. Also consider cutting back your “hours in the shower” for optimal conservation.

• Be Compact! Compact fluorescent light bulbs, or CFLs, produce light that's more diffused than incandescent bulbs, so they are very good for area lighting. They also use roughly one-quarter of the energy an incandescent bulb uses to produce the same amount of light. Basically, it takes a 15-watt CFL to replace a traditional 60-watt bulb. Not only is there less energy use and less greenhouse gas emission, but CFLs produce less heat as well. CFL’s are not only energy efficient—they produce less waste because they last longer. A typical incandescent bulb will last between 500 to 2,000 hours. Compact fluorescent lights are guaranteed for 8,000 hours, meaning that there are at least four regular bulbs thrown away for every CFL.
   
• Use the Sun. Switching bulbs is not the only method of sustainable lighting. Using the sun’s natural light (also known as daylighting) is one of the oldest tricks in the book for cutting down on the electrical bill. Today, new homes are designed and built with daylighting taken in mind. For those green minded folks who are remodeling an existing house, skylights and window placement can help achieve desired results.
   
• Automate. Computers are great. Lets use their smarts to make up for our lazyness! Installing a simple and cheap vacancy sensor like WattShoppers can drastically reduce our electrical usage.
   
• Your an Energy Star. Whether you are working with new green construction or planning a green remodeling project for your home, ENERGY STAR qualified products should be part of your plan. ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy to help consumers identify energy efficient products. ENERGY STAR products range from major appliances such as refrigerators, washers and dryers, air conditioners, and dishwashers to small electronics including computers, monitors, and even battery chargers. Make sure any large appliance you buy has the ENERGY STAR rating.

Ask us for a full "green" evaluation.