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60 percent of the energy used in Montgomery County's homes comes from coal, oil, and other fossil fuels. Home energy use makes a significant contribution to global warming. Reducing energy use in your home decreases your impact on the environment and saves you money.
Read on to learn how you can reduce your energy use all around the home.
 Watch a video of a local homeowner who has saved hundreds of dollars through energy-reduction measures.
Get a Home Energy Audit
A home energy audit identifies specific home improvements you can make to reduce energy costs and improve the comfort of your home. DEP's Home Energy Audit Web page provides more information on home energy audits and how to find an energy auditor.
Quick Tip! Find a certified Home Energy Auditor through the Maryland Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.
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Choose Energy-Efficient Lighting
Compact Fluorescent and Light-Emitting Diode Lights
See how a local resident saved money with energy-efficient lighting.
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Lighting accounts for about 20 percent of a home's electricity use. Choose energy-saving compact fluorescent lightbulbs (CFLs) to reduce energy use. They pay for themselves in less than a year and last 10 times longer than regular lightbulbs. They're great for commonly used lamps and hard-to-reach locations.
Learn more on DEP's CFL Web page.
Consider light-emitting diode (LED) lights for additional energy savings. LEDs use less energy than CFLs and last even longer, but they're best suited for specific applications—such as track lighting and garden lights. Ask your home improvement store or lighting professional if LED lighting is right for your home.
Quick Tip! Replace your most frequently used lights with CFLs.
See how a local resident saved money with energy-efficient lighting.
Watch the video! | Read the transcript  (PDF, 1pg, 5.6K)
Try Solar Lights
Learn about one homeowner's outdoor solar lighting system.
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Are you interested in solar photovoltaics but aren't yet ready to install solar panels on your home? Try using solar-powered garden, pathway, and security lights. They're easy to install and don't draw electric power. In fact, they operate for free! Small solar panels generate electricity during the day and store it for use at night. Solar security lights are also great for power outages.
Quick Tip! Outdoor solar lighting products are available in home improvement stores.
Check out one homeowner's reliable outdoor solar lighting system. (Also includes information on how to reduce phantom power drains.)
Watch the video! | Read the transcript (PDF, 2pp, 8.1K)
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Save on Heating and Cooling
Learn more about in-home heating and cooling solutions.
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Seal Your Home
Seal the holes and gaps around the foundation, windows, doors, and attic of your home to stop conditioned air from leaking out and prevent outside air from leaking in. The combined effect of these leaks often equals that of leaving a window open all day. Stopping air leaks makes your home more comfortable and decreases the demand on your heating and cooling system, reducing energy demand and saving you money.
Quick Tip! Rope caulk from a home improvement store seals gaps around window frames during the winter. It's easy to install and to remove.
Seal Your Fireplace
Consider using an inflatable bag to seal your chimney when the fireplace isn't in use. The bag fits beneath the chimney's damper and is inflated to fill the space. Be sure to deflate and remove the bag before starting a fire, and let the chimney cool completely before reinstalling the bag.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
You wouldn't leave your TV on when no one is home to watch it, so why keep your heating or cooling system running at an ideal temperature when you're not home? Install a programmable thermostat to automatically regulate the temperature in your home. In the winter, lower the temperature setting while you're away or asleep. In the summer, increase the temperature setting while you're away. These actions can save you 2 percent on energy costs for each degree of change.
Watch an instructional video from "This Old House" to learn how to install a programmable thermostat. It's easy!
Once you have a programmable thermostat installed, use this worksheet to find the times to set-back the thermostat. This will help you save on energy bills.
Use Fans to Reduce Heating and Cooling Needs
Used properly, a ceiling fan can help decrease the demand on your home heating or cooling system. In the winter, set the fan at a low speed in the clockwise direction to force warm air at the ceiling down toward the floor. It will make the room warmer so you can lower your thermostat and reduce heating costs. In the summer, switch the rotation to counterclockwise to create a cooling effect. This lets you increase your thermostat setting a few degrees with little loss in comfort.
Quick Tip! To reduce use of your energy-guzzling air conditioner, consider a whole house fan. These fans are installed in the center of a home and draw in cool night air.
Learn more about whole house fans at the U.S. Department of Energy's Web site.
Take a guided tour through a local energy saver's home to see these heating and cooling solutions in action.
Watch the video! | Read the transcript. (PDF, 2pp, 9.4K)
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Learn more about reducing phantom power drains.
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Eliminate Phantom Loads
Electronics, devices with digital clocks, and cell phone or other battery chargers draw electricity when plugged in—even when they're not in use. They consume small amounts of electricity known as phantom loads. Plug your TV, DVD player, stereo, and office equipment into a power strip and switch it off to cut the flow of electricity to these devices.
Quick Tip! TV set-top boxes and cable/DSL modems get daily updates from your provider. Keep these electronics directly plugged into the wall so the signals you receive for the TV and Internet aren't interrupted.
See how a local homeowner reduced his phantom power drains.
Watch the video! | Read the transcript. (PDF, 2pp, 9.4K)
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Use Energy-Efficient Appliances
Learn about energy-efficient appliances.
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Appliances and electronics are responsible for nearly 20 percent of a home's energy bill. Energy-efficient appliances reduce energy costs. The ENERGY STAR program Web site makes finding energy-efficient appliances and consumer electronics easy. The site also offers tips on how to operate appliances with maximum energy savings.
See how much one local homeowner saved by switching to an ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator.
Watch the video! | Read the transcript. (PDF, 1pg, 6.4K)
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Save on Hot Water
Learn how to insulate hot water pipes.
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Heating water accounts for about 13 percent of a home's utility bill, making it an easy way to save money. Reduce heat loss as water is stored in the heater and flows through pipes to your faucet by insulating your water heater and pipes. The U.S. Department of Energy's Water Heater Web site explains how.
Quick Tip! Save money and protect yourself from burns by setting your water heater at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Every 10-degree temperature reduction can save 3 to 5 percent on water heating costs.
Check out a neighbor's basement to see how to insulate the hot water heater and pipes.
Watch the video! | Read the transcript. (PDF, 1pg, 4.8K)
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Tell Us About Your Energy Savings!
Have you tried any of these energy-saving measures at home, or do you have a tip you'd like to share? Email DEP at askdep@montgomerycountymd.gov. Please include your name and home address in the email.
Energy-Efficiency and Renewable-Energy Incentives
Several incentives are available for home energy-efficiency and renewable-energy projects. Visit the Financial Incentives Web page for more information.
Quick Tip! To get the best bang for your buck, make your home as energy-efficient as possible before considering a renewable energy project. The money you save on lower energy bills can be used to finance the renewable energy project.
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Energy Fact Sheets
The fact sheets below provide information to help you save energy; use clean, renewable energy sources; and protect the environment. Read the fact sheets online, download and print them for distribution, and share them with your friends, neighbors, and community organizations.
Appliance Shopping (PDF, 2pp, 194K)
 When shopping for new home appliances, there's more to consider than price, color, and features. The operating cost of an appliance over time is largely determined by its energy consumption. Use the EnergyGuide label and the ENERGY STAR logo to identify the most energy-efficient products
Programmable Thermostat Planning Schedule (PDF, 2pp, 94K)
Use this handy scheduler to find out when it works for your family to set-back your programmable thermostat. Click here for more information and an instructional installation video about how to install and use a programmable thermostat.
Energy-Efficient Landscaping - Summer Edition (PDF, 2pp, 121K)
Properly positioning trees around your home to reduce the amount of sunlight striking rooftops, walls, and windows can lower cooling costs by up to 25 percent.
Energy-Efficient Landscaping - Winter Edition (PDF, 2pp, 146K)
Long-term and attractive landscaping solutions can reduce high heating costs by deflecting cold winds and drafts while providing indoor comfort and increasing property values.
Energy-Efficient Washers and Dryers (PDF, 2pp, 193K)
A typical household spends about $150 every year on energy for laundry. This fact sheet offers tips on doing laundry with lower costs and reduced environmental impacts. 
Solar Hot Water (PDF, 2pp, 100K)
Solar energy is a clean, renewable source of light, heat, and electricity. It can be harnessed to heat water for your home. Grants available through the Maryland Energy Administration and federal tax incentives make installing a solar hot water heater an easy decision for homeowners and businesses.
Solar Power (PDF, 2pp, 100K)
Solar energy can be used to generate electricity for your home or business. The Maryland Energy Administration Solar Grant Program and federal tax incentives make solar energy more affordable and a wise investment.
Summer Cooling Tips (PDF, 4pp, 279K)
Energy costs often spike in the summer due to the additional electricity needed to run air conditioners. This fact sheet offers a few simple steps to save energy (and money) while cooling your home.
Winter Heating Tips (PDF, 4pp, 1.2MB)
Use these energy-saving tips to stay warm while keeping your heating costs down.
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