According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the residential and commercial sectors account for over 10% of all energy consumption in the U.S.—nearly half of which goes to heating and cooling. If you’re looking to reduce your energy costs and make the world a better place, take a look at your home’s heating and cooling efficiency. Here are three brief tips for increasing energy efficiency and reducing utility costs:

Get A Programmable Thermostat

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the average family spends over $2,200 dollars on heating and cooling every year. Much of that cost is due to outdated, manual thermostats. Modern, programmable thermostats can be set up to heat or cool your home during specific hours, saving you valuable energy usage while you’re asleep or away at work. Programmable thermostats typically cost around $30 dollars, and can pay for themselves after three or four months of energy savings.

Seal and Insulate Your Home

Homes with cracks, gaps, and inadequate insulation allow warm and cool air to escape, thus increasing energy costs. In order to keep your energy bills down, you should check your home’s windows and doors for drafts, then apply caulk or weather stripping where appropriate. You might consider buying new tightly sealed doors and windows to boost your home’s energy efficiency even more.

Get An Annual HVAC Checkup

The best way to ensure maximum efficiency is to take good care of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system. This means changing the filter every month, checking the condenser coil for debris, and hiring an HVAC company to perform an annual checkup. A skilled technician should be able to make your HVAC system operate as efficiently as possible and spot small problems before they become big, expensive ones.

Considering the fact that global temperatures and energy costs are both on the rise, increasing energy efficiency is essential for all home and business owners. The above suggestions are just the a start—you can discover many more ways to save energy and money at the Environmental Protection Agency’s official website.