Hints For Homeowners Beat The Heat And The High Energy Bills Monday, May 20, 2019 (NAPSI)—Did you know that the average household spends $2,000 a year on utility bills, with nearly half going to cooling and heating the home? The U.S. EPA’s ENERGY STAR Program offers resources to help you save energy, save money and protect the climate—all while beating the heat this summer. Biggest bang for your buck—seal and insulate: You could save up to $200 a year! Sealing air leaks around your house and adding insulation can help make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. Level up your energy savings with your HVAC: Check your system’s air filters. A dirty air filter will make the system work harder to keep you cool, wasting energy. They should be inspected once a month during heavy-use periods. Get smart about the thermostat that is controlling your HVAC: A smart thermostat is Wi-Fi enabled and can automatically adjust temperature settings for optimal performance. Smart thermostats that earn the ENERGY STAR label are independently certified, based on actual field data, to save energy. Look for the ENERGY STAR: In the market for a new room AC? On average, an ENERGY STAR certified room air conditioner will cost less than $75 per year to run. For more tips, visit www.energystar.gov/cooling. --- PHOTOS --- File: 20190520-115711-73461.jpg Caption: A few cool ideas about heating and cooling your home can help you save money and protect the planet. File: 20191226-145301-20191226-145300-ck0652.pdf.jpg --- FILES --- File: 20191226-145300-ck0652.pdf File: 20190520-115718-73461.zip Caption: Download high-resolution, print_quality graphic and MS Word document