- Replace your air filters. You should check air filters every month and replace as needed (usually once every three months), but pay special attention to the furnace filters during the heating season. Clogged filters reduce airflow and keep your home from warming up.
- Check your vents. Just as clogged air filters can keep warm air from circulating, clogged vents can prevent your rooms from getting air. Check vents for dust buildup and other obstructions, and make sure they’re not blocked by any furniture.
- Insulate your water heater. Tank water heaters use energy just by keeping their water at a constant ready temperature, and preventing that heat loss can reduce your energy use by up to 10 percent.
- Cover and insulate exposed piping and ducts. When hot water or air is being transported through your home, you want that heat to make it to its destination. Insulating pipes and ductwork cuts down on heat loss in transit.
- Check the exterior of your house. Holes in the foundation or siding, and cracks in insulation around pipes, all point to potential air leaks, which could lead to an unpleasantly drafty (and energy-leaking) home.
- Inspect your roof. If there are shingles missing or damaged, it may be time to inspect inside your attic.
Check the joints of windows and doors, where repeated motion may have damaged the seal. If you can feel a draft, it indicates that appliance repair is needed. Also, you can use a stick of incense and hold it near the door or window, observing the behavior of the smoke to detect air leaks.