We cannot control weather and the temperature but we can manage and reduce our household's energy consumption and the amount of bills we have to pay for cooling and heating our home.

According to observations, the home's heating system is the biggest user of energy during winter and it accounts to 35 to 65 percent of our household's total monthly energy bill. Air conditioning, on the other hand, which is also expensive, can easily get lost with the external temperature of the outdoors.

With these, this article lists down some energy saving ideas that can help you lower your monthly energy consumption and bills no matter what the season and the weather is.

Let's start first with heating system. The first energy saving idea for this appliance is to make sure that all doors and windows are closed during periods where it is cold. Caulk and weather strip your doors including your windows so as to avoid letting cold air get in. Aside from this, close the damper when the fireplace is not being used. These energy saving ideas and procedures will save you 6 percent on your bills.

Another energy saving idea is to open the windows' drapes and blinds in the morning to let the sun's warmth enter your home. And, close them during at night to let the warm in and the cold out. Turning down the heater before going to bed is also a good energy saving idea. Have this programmed to increase the heat an hour before you wake up so that way you wake up to a warm house.

For those who are using heat pumps: an energy saving idea would be for you to avoid raising the heat at more that 2-4 degrees Fahrenheit in periods because this activates the heating strips which can significantly increase energy consumption.

The fourth energy saving idea for heating systems, which also works for cooling systems, is insulation. The heat produced by a heating system will be absorbed by a non-insulated home's floors, ceilings and walls. To avoid this, make sure that you get insulation that has great "R-value". The higher it is, the better insulation you can get. An R-38 insulation can reduce energy consumption to up to 25 percent while R-49 insulation is typically recommended for homes in the Northwest.

The fifth energy saving idea is to make sure that the filters of the house furnace is clean and in good condition. Obstructions in the filters will make the heating system use more energy to generate heat in the home. Have all heating equipment checked by qualified heating professionals every year.

And the last tip for saving energy from heaters is to try wearing layered clothing inside your home. This is the simplest energy saving idea to maintain your body heat and to prevent you from increasing the temperature from your heating system

Apart from heating systems, there are also great energy saving ideas for your air conditioners, as well. The first one is to check the model of your air-conditioner. Consider the SEER ( Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) rating of the equipment you plan to buy wherein the minimum SEER rating is 10. Always aim for a higher SEER rating than this. According to studies, a SEER rating equal to 16 would help you reduce 40 percent from cooling expenses.

Another great but practical energy saving idea is to provide shade for your house by using natural landscapes, awnings and shades. You can also paint your roof with reflective paints that reflect back the sun and its heat.

The third energy saving idea you can adapt for cooling down is to use fans instead of air conditioners. You can save to as high as 90 percent from a "1 kilowatt hour" fan compared to "10 kilowatt hour" air conditioner.

Some energy saving ideas for heaters are also applicable to air conditioners. This includes maintenance of the equipment. To avoid them from overworking and using up more energy to keep the house and cool, make sure that you clean filters that are permanent and replace those that are disposable. Make sure also that you always clean the machine's vents and coils. Apart from this, another energy saving idea for maintenance is to call in the experts. Have the air conditioning technicians and contractors to check on your cooling unit annually.

And just like the energy saving idea for heating, caulk windows and doors and weatherstrip them. According to studies, 20 percent of the cool air generated air conditioners is lost to the outdoor. This does not only avoid the cool temperature from seeping outside the house but it also allows energy consumption.

And the last air conditioner energy saving tip is to install the air conditioner in a cool area protected by shade or an awning to avoid direct sunlight.