Ceiling fans are often advertised as a means of saving you energy, but it depends on the efficiency of the fan itself and how it is used.

A ceiling fan doesn't actually cool the air in your home - it can only circulate it.  It makes you feel cooler during warmer months because the air blowing across your skin evaporates moisture, making you feel cooler. During the colder months a ceiling fan will help circulate the warm air closer to the living space in larger rooms.

Ceiling fans have the potential to save energy in a few ways:

1. If you use ceiling fans instead of your air conditioning on spring/fall days when the weather is just warming up, it will use less energy than running your air conditioner.
2. At the same time, if you're using the fans while also setting the thermostat a few degrees warmer, you're possibly saving money, depending on things like how many degrees, how many fans are operating, and how efficient the fans are.
3. Remember to turn off the fans when there is nobody in the room. Because fans don’t cool the air, but actually add some heat with the energy they’re using, it will defeat the purpose of using the fan if it's running in empty rooms.

The important point to keep in mind is that in order to realize the benefits of cieling fans, you must be turning down the thermostat in winter and turning it up in the summer by at least several degrees. And, as noted above, only use fans in rooms that are occupied.

As with choosing an air conditioner or furnace, ceiling fans are also Energy Star Rated. By choosing a more energy efficient model you can save as much as 50% over non-qualifying models. 

Besides ceiling fans, here are some other tips for saving money on heating and cooling your home:

• Use a programmable thermostat - The ability to change the temperature in your home when you're away or while sleeping can make a big difference in your energy usage.  The government estimates as much as $180 in energy costs (enough to buy some ceiling fans!).  Newer thermostats are simple to program and many come pre-programmed to energy star guidelines!
• Keep your air conditioner and furnace cleaned and maintained -  Regular maintenance of your heating and cooling system will ensure the burners are working efficiently, the A/C coils are clean and the refrigerant charge is correct.  Improper refrigerant charge can make your equipment work harder (using more energy) and shorten its life.
• Change your furnace air filter - a clogged furnace filter will make your heating system's blower work much harder than it needs to and might even cause your coil to freeze up when your A/C is running.  Standard 1" filters should be changed every month when your equipment is running continuously.

Green plumbing is a way to conserve energy and save money in relation to home water usage. Because water-related energy consumes around 19 percent of the state’s electricity, 30 percent of its natural gas, and billions of gallons of diesel fuel every year, every gallon of water you don't use cuts down on the fossil fuels used in conjunction with water consumption. So green plumbing is really about using energy-saving appliances, low-flow fixtures, and a little common sense when it comes to using water.

Here are a some of the best ways to conserve energy and water in your home.

Install Low-Flow Toilets

Toilets use a quarter of the water in the average American household. Originally, low-flow toilets we less than perfect, but new low flow toilets have improved significantly and can save 70% or more than 3 gallons of water over their conventional 5-gallon counterparts. That means a family of 4 that upgrades to a low-flow toilet from a 5-gallon toilet would save over 13,000 gallons of water per year!

Install An Energy Efficient Water Heater

After heating and air conditioning, a water heater is a home's most energy using device. Choosing an Energy Star rated conventional water heater or a newer tankless style water heater, you can save significant energy dollars.

Use Cold Water

Switching to cold water washing can save 80 percent on energy used for laundry and save an estimated $60 a year. Hang dry your clothes instead of using the dryer and save 700 pounds of C02 a year.

Use Low-Flow Plumbing Fixtures

Installing a low-flow shower head rated at 2 gallons per minute you can save 6 gallons over a standard head or 36 gallons over old or modified shower heads. New shower head technology has given us the feel of high volume shower heads without the cost. You'll not only save water, but the cost of heating water as well.

Find and Repair Water Leaks

It may seem hard to believe, but 14% of all household water used is due to plumbing leaks. Toilets are the number one cause of water leaks, with faucets and showers being close behind. Hidden water leaks under your sink or behind walls can also cause significant damage to your home.