Most consumers know spring and fall tune-ups make your system more efficient, but you should also check your duct work if you have a forced air system. If you have central air conditioning, you probably have a forced air system. The three main elements to proper duct maintenance are physical repairs, sealing and cleaning.

Cool air sinks, so the foundation walls are where cold air will try hardest to enter your home. This is what causes the basement to be the coldest part of most people’s homes. Make sure you only air seal and insulate around the walls, where cold outside air comes in, and not the basement ceiling.

Sealing up all the cracks, gaps and holes in your home will ensure that conditioned air, which has been warmed by your heater or cooled by your air conditioner, stays inside longer. Air sealing can include everything from installing weatherstripping and door sweeps to plugging gaps around your window frames, door frames, behind baseboards and moldings, and around the places where floor meet walls, known as rim and band joists.

Homeowners typically consider replacing windows an obvious energy conservation measure and are surprised when an energy audit does not identify this renovation as a priority. While it is true that modern window technologies such as double-pane glass promise greater energy savings, the cost of quality window replacements is significant.

The cost of heating and cooling indoor air accounts for a big portion of a home’s utility bills. All types of buildings experience a continual exchange of air, and some airflow is desirable. However, minimizing excessive warm air leaking into your home during the summer and out of the building during winter should be a priority for any homeowner looking to lower their energy bills.