The average house uses almost 40% percent of its total energy on heating.

When a house is occupied, the thermostat should be set at 65 to 68 degrees F for maximum comfort and money saving energy efficiency.

Consider replacing aging appliances with newer more energy efficient models.

When comparing an average house to a super energy efficient house, it’s possible to reduce annual energy bills up to 40 percent. This type of savings may not be possible on all homes but conservation techniques can save you a decent amount of money by lowering utility bills. Prudent homeowners should consider developing an energy conservation plan for their home. This is both an environmentally friendly and economically sound action.
 

In developing an energy conservation plan for your home, use the following approach: identify the problem areas where energy is being lost or inefficiently used; prioritize the problem areas according to how much energy is being lost or inefficiently used; and systematically correct the prioritized problems according to the limits of your household energy improvement budget.
The average house uses energy for the following tasks

Heating        39%
Hot Water    18%
Appliances    35%
Lighting        8%
 

As you develop your home energy conservation plan, the first task is to identify problem areas. The above list of household energy uses suggests a place to start – the higher energy uses (i.e. heating) have the greatest potential for savings. Review the energy conservation measures checklist below to identify problem areas in your home.