Heating & Cooling

A great place to cut your energy bills.

Changing the way you heat (and cool) your home is one of the most effective ways to lower your energy bill. And you don’t have to suffer in the bitter cold or sweltering heat — there are lots of ways to stay comfortable without breaking the bank. Fans are one way to cool the house down in the summer or keep air circulating in the winter without paying a lot. Heat pumps can save you even more.

5 ways to spend less on heating and cooling

Turn the heat or air conditioning down.

Sounds obvious, but even turning down (or up) your thermostat by just a couple of degrees can save you a few bucks. Or, let your smart thermostat figure out the optimal energy-saving temperature for your home.

We’re a fan of fans.

Attic fans, whole-house fans, box fans – all of these are great options to cool the house down during those few hot days Oregon gets without spending a lot on air conditioning.

Seal air leaks and insulate your home.

Weatherizing can cut a good chunk off of your heating or cooling bill (up to 20%). By the way, you might even qualify for free help with weatherization.

Consider a heat pump.

If you have electric heat and some extra cash, a high-efficiency heat pump could cut your heating energy use by up to 40 percent. Bonus – you get air conditioning too.

Take advantage of discounts and cash back offers.

Before you buy that smart thermostat or new appliance, check out these special offers and incentives. You could save a bundle of cash on appliances and devices that will make your home more energy efficient – and save you even more money.

What’s a heat pump? We’re so glad you asked.

Heat pumps are the under-appreciated whole-house heating and cooling option that saves you money in the summer and the winter. A heat pump moves heat from a cool space to warm space, making warm spaces warmer and cool spaces cooler.

Heat pump options

More energy-saving ideas

  • Channel your inner DIYer and buy yourself a caulk gun.

  • See if you qualify for weatherization assistance.

  • Get your fireplace a pillow to stop heat from going up your chimney.

  • Don’t block the box. Move furniture away from wall and baseboard heaters.

  • Vacuum heater grills regularly. Best to turn off the heater power first.

  • Turning the thermostat to 80 degrees will not heat a room to 68 faster. It just wastes energy.

  • Put one box fan on the shady side of your house to draw in cool air and another on the hot side to expel hot air.

  • Keep lamps and TVs away from the A/C thermostat -- they raise the temperature.

  • Consider installing an attic fan to make your air conditioning more effective.