To check what’s right for your region, go to the Department of Energy website.)īefore insulating, seal around recessed lights, vents, and plumbing and lay down a 6-mil polyethylene vapor barrier. Department of Energy says most homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic. If your attic has less than R-22 insulation - 7 inches of fiberglass or rock wool, or 6 inches of cellulose - you should add more. The temperature in your attic can reach 150 degrees on a hot summer day, a situation that if left unchecked can drive up cooling costs by as much as 40 percent. Benefit: 15 to 20 percent or more off your cooling bill.The system will use less energy during the cool-down period than if you had left it running at a lower setting while you were out.

Reset it upon your return, and the room will cool down in only 15 minutes. When you leave home for more than one hour, set the thermostat to 85 or 90 degrees. For a typical household, setting the thermostat at 80 degrees saves 10 to 15 percent raising it to 85 degrees will save 35 to 55 percent. You’ll save 5 to 8 percent on cooling costs with each degree above that mark. If you have central air, set your thermostat above 78 degrees (all temperatures cited here are in degrees Fahrenheit).

The Dark House by A.C. Wise