Energy Savings Tips for Fall
The fall season is a great time to explore new ways to use less energy in your home. Here are some simple steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient—and save money on your bill:
	Have your furnace checked for safety and efficiency before turning it on. Consider replacing old, inefficient furnaces, water heaters and other appliances with newer high-efficiency models.
	Changing furnace filters at least once a month also helps. Filters should be changed more frequently if there are pets in the home.
	Seal all leaks around doors, windows and electrical outlets. Covering your windows with plastic sheeting can add more insulation and reduce drafts. Caulking windows is also economical and easy to do. For doors, try weather stripping to keep cold air from entering the home.
	Set the thermostat a little lower. For each degree it is lowered, you can save 2-3% on heating costs. For maximum efficiency, experts generally recommend a setting of 68 degrees during the day and 60 degrees overnight (but don’t set the thermostat too low, or pipes in exterior walls could freeze).
	Using a humidifier can help you feel comfortable in your home at a lower thermostat setting.
	Turn the heat down at night and add an extra blanket to your bed.
	Consider purchasing a new programmable thermostat—which can help reduce heating costs by allowing better control of the settings.
	On sunny days, open blinds, shades or draperies on the sunny side of your house to let in solar heat. Be sure to close them again at night, to help keep heat from escaping.
	Use ceiling fans—especially in homes with high ceilings—with blades turning in the clockwise direction to push warm air down and keep it from being wasted near the ceiling.
	Adding insulation to attics and walls can be a significant energy-saver if your home was built many years ago when efficiency standards were lower. Either blown or blanket insulation holds heat so a furnace doesn’t have to operate as long. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recommends an R-49 insulation level for attics.
	An insulating blanket on water heaters reduces energy waste from the unit. You can also drain the tank to eliminate the buildup of sediment, which improves the life and efficiency of your unit.
	Close off areas of your home that are infrequently used. Close registers in those areas.
	Be sure the damper is closed when you’re not using the fireplace. Glass doors for fireplaces save energy and heat by keeping cold air from coming down the flue and preventing warm air from being sucked out of the house. Without glass doors, as much as 26% of the heated air can be drawn up the flue.
More information:
	See Ameren’s energy-saving poster, Cut Your Home Utility Bills – Conserve!
	Request Ameren’s Weatherization Tips video or DVD.