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name: home-energy-savings description: "Cut your home energy bills with a prioritized plan — the free and cheap fixes first, then the upgrades that actually pay back. Use when asked how to lower my energy bill, make my home more energy efficient, reduce heating/cooling costs, or save energy at home. Produces a read on where your energy (and money) likely goes, a ranked list of fixes from free behavior changes to low-cost improvements to bigger investments with payback estimates, quick wins to start today, and what to measure — flagging that savings and any rebates depend on your home and region."

Home Energy Savings

Energy advice usually jumps to expensive upgrades, but the biggest early wins are free or cheap: sealing drafts, adjusting the thermostat, tackling the handful of appliances that dominate the bill. This finds where your energy likely goes and gives a ranked plan — free behavior changes first, then low-cost fixes, then the bigger investments with honest payback — so you save without overspending to save.

What This Skill Produces

• A where-it-goes read — the likely big energy users in your home (heating/cooling usually dominate, then water heating, then appliances)
• A ranked plan — free behavior changes → low-cost fixes (sealing, draft-proofing, LEDs, smart thermostat) → bigger investments (insulation, windows, heat pump) with rough payback
• Quick wins — a few things to do today for immediate savings
• Payback estimates — so you don't spend $5k to save $50/year
• Rebate awareness — a nudge to check local incentives/rebates that change the math
• What to measure — how to track whether it's working

Required Inputs

Ask for these if not provided:

• Your bills — rough energy cost and any seasonal spikes
• The home — type, age, size, insulation/windows condition, own or rent
• Heating/cooling — system type and how you run it
• Climate — heating-dominated, cooling-dominated, or both
• Budget & tenure — what you'll spend, and whether you own (affects big upgrades)

Framework: Free First, Then Payback-Ranked

1. Find the big users. Heating and cooling usually dominate; target the biggest energy sinks first rather than fiddling with minor loads.
2. Start free. Thermostat setbacks, closing off unused spaces, shorter/cooler washes, and unplugging phantom loads cost nothing and add up.
3. Then cheap fixes. Draft-sealing, weatherstripping, LEDs, a smart/programmable thermostat, and water-heater tweaks are low-cost, high-return.
4. Rank big investments by payback. Insulation, windows, and heating upgrades matter but cost a lot — give rough payback so the spend is justified, and note renters should skip owner-only upgrades.
5. Check rebates and measure. Local incentives can transform the payback; and tracking the bill confirms what's working. Flag that all figures depend on the home and region.

Output Format

Energy savings: bills ~[x] · [home type/age] · climate [y]

Where it likely goes: [heating/cooling · water heating · appliances].

Do now (free): [thermostat · phantom loads · washing · unused rooms]. Cheap fixes (high return): [seal drafts · weatherstrip · LEDs · smart thermostat · water heater]. Bigger investments (payback): [insulation ~[payback] · windows ~[payback] · heating upgrade ~[payback]] — owners only. Check rebates: [local incentives can change the math]. Measure: [track the bill / usage].

Savings and rebates depend on your home and region — treat estimates as guides and check local incentives.

Quality Checks

• Targets the biggest energy users first
• Leads with free/behavioral changes before purchases
• Ranks bigger investments by rough payback
• Flags renter vs owner appropriateness
• Nudges checking local rebates/incentives
• Notes savings depend on home/region

Anti-Patterns

• Jumping to expensive upgrades before free wins.
• Fiddling with minor loads while ignoring heating/cooling.
• Recommending owner-only upgrades to renters.
• Big spends with no payback math.
• Asserting exact savings regardless of home/region.

Example Trigger Phrases

• "How do I lower my energy bill?"
• "Make my home more energy efficient on a budget."
• "My heating costs are brutal — what actually helps?"
• "What energy upgrades are worth the money?"
• "Cheap ways to cut my electricity usage."