Properly insulating your home is the most important and effective step in keeping your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Correctly installed insulation, such as blown-in insulation, can reduce energy use by up to 50%. The best insulation varies with climate, but spray foam and blown-in fiber are smart options, as they last longer than traditional insulation.

Double pane windows with thick, high-performance glass have special low emissivity coatings between the panes to minimize the amount of heat that passes through the glass. For example, by adding a double pane with even half an inch of air space between the two panes, you can increase the insulation value of each window by roughly 9%.

Energy Star heating and cooling systems can reduce energy use. It costs homeowners an average of $11 billion per year to power their air conditioners. To help reduce your energy use and purify indoor air, try an energy recovery ventilator.

Get an energy and space efficient water heater, such as a tankless heater, which heats water directly without using a tank. Or, by choosing a solar water heater, you can save 30% on one with a federal tax credit good until Dec. 31, 2016.

In a single year, the sun provides more energy than all of the earth’s non-renewable resources. A 5kW solar system that runs for 6 to 7 hours per day is enough to power the average home. Even if a home stays on the utility grid for backup on cloudy days, solar panels can store a lot of energy and help keep utility bills low.

Smart thermostats can save up to 30 percent more energy by simply identifying patterns within the home and shutting off heating, ventilation and cooling systems when the house is empty or residents are asleep. EPA Energy Star estimates that individual homeowners can cut their cost by about $180 per year by properly using programmable thermostats. Smart thermostats offer convenient control so you can adjust the temperature remotely and run analytics on energy use.

Low flow toilets are a vast improvement to old, inefficient options at 1.6 gallons per flush, saving 8,000 to 20,000 gallons of water per year. The best option for decreasing energy and water waste is a dual flush toilet, which has a button for light flush at 0.9 gallons and a button for heavy flush at 1.6 gallons.

Although a bit more expensive than incandescent bulbs, CFLs last about 10 times longer, between 6,000 – 15,000 hours.

Trees and other tall plants can naturally aide in maintaining your home’s temperature. You can plant deciduous species on the south and west sides of your home to get cooling savings up to 20 percent and heating savings between eight and 18 percent. They will shade in the summer and lose their leaves in the winter, allowing sun exposure as a natural heater. Plant evergreens to block or slow winter winds, likely on the north side of the home.

Although, the best material for a cool roof varies by climate, options include highly reflective paint or tiles, a sheet covering or shingles. These options can cool roofs by up to 50%, which not only saves energy, but can extend roof service life.