Wow-finally the Texas weather looks like fall! That means that the days will be shorter, weather cooler and now is the time to take stock of several ways to save money on the energy usage at home. Below are a few easy ways to prepare your home for the cooler autumn days, and then winter months. Take a look!

1. Open your curtains that are on the southern side of the home during the day to take advantage of the sunlight that will naturally warm your home. At night, close those blinds so you will not feel any chill from the cooler windows.

2. Use your setback/programmable thermostat. If used properly, you can easily save 10% a year on both heating and cooling bills.

3. Walk around your home and check out your windows and doors for gaps that need to have caulking, weatherstripping and insulation and do it! This will reduce energy loss during the cooler seasons of the year!

4. Reduce the temperature of your water heater-lowering the temp to 120 degrees can save you money since the home water heater accounts for 15-25% of energy used in the typical home.

5.Check out the heating system to make certain it is operating efficiently.  Replace that filter once a month.

6. If you like to install holiday lighting, consider a change to LED lights this year. Light Emitting Diode strings of lights will save you money on energy usage, so consider a switch!

These are just a few ideas to help you save money this fall and winter. If you want more information, go to Energysaver.gov.