Home Insulation
Insulate between the spaces between the floor joists in your basement along outside walls to help stop air infiltration. Use faced insulation with the paper facing towards the living space. Use expansion foam for any small gaps around the foundation.
Check for drafts around windows and doors and, if neccesary, replace the weatherstripping. Always make sure that the surface you are applying the weatherstripping to is clean and dry.
If your attic does not have at least 12 inches of insulation, you need to add more. You can either lay unfaced batts of insulation on top of the existing or use blown in insulation. Many home centers offer the use of the machine for free when you buy the insulation from them.
Water Conservation
Check your toilet for leaks. Put a dye tablet or food coloring into the tank, if the coloring appears in the bowl without flushing your toilet needs repaired.
Repair or replace faucets that drip.
Upgrade your older toilets to new water efficient models.
Check outside faucets, hoses and sprinklers for leaks.
Gutters and Downspouts
Look to make sure that your gutters are sloped towards the downspout and that they are well secured to the house.
Keep your gutters and downspouts clean of leaves and other debris. Remember to use any ladder according to the manufacturers instructions, if you are not comfortable with heights please call a professional!
Furnaces and Air Conditioners
Change the air filters on your furnace regularly to ensure maximum performace.
Cover your outside condensing unit on central air systems during the fall and winter when its not in use to keep debris from building up inside.
Home Safety
Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If you do not have a whole house system, consider having one installed.
Do not store flammable or combustible materials around furnaces or hot water tanks.
Keep fire extinguishers on every floor of your home.
Maintain a clear path to your fuse or breaker boxes.
If you are consistently tripping breakers or blowing fuses you could have a problem, call a licensed electrician to check it out for you!