Where your home's energy actually goes

Turning off lights helps, but in most homes the big energy users are the systems you rarely think about. Focus there first.

The usual heavy hitters

1. Heating and cooling — typically the largest share of home energy use.
2. Water heating — often the next biggest.
3. Appliances and electronics — refrigerators, laundry, cooking and always-on devices.
4. Lighting — now a small slice in homes that have switched to LEDs.

High-payoff moves

• Seal air leaks and add insulation, especially in the attic. It’s often the cheapest way to cut heating and cooling.
• Use a smart or programmable thermostat to avoid heating or cooling an empty house.
• Consider a heat pump when replacing a furnace, AC or water heater; it moves heat rather than making it, using far less electricity than resistance heating.
• Lower your water heater temperature to around 120°F (49°C) if it’s set higher.
• Wash laundry in cold water — most of a washer’s energy goes to heating water.

Start with an audit

Many utilities offer free or low-cost home energy audits that pinpoint leaks and the upgrades with the best payback for your house.