energY

1. Maximize the use of daylight. Use "task lights" to illuminate only the area you need to light. Install motion detectors in the garage, basement, or bathroom. Shut off unneeded incandescent lights immediately after use. Shut off fluorescent bulbs when they will not be needed for 15 minutes. Shut off your computer and monitor when they will be idle for more than two hours (computer) or 20 minutes (monitor).

Compact fluorescents bulbs (CFLs) screw into the same fixtures as incandescents, but are three to four times more efficient. A CFL comparable to a 100-watt incandescent would save $63 during the bulb's 4.5-year lifetime.

2. Check wattage. The wattage label on the bottom or back of an appliance describes its electricity consumption, but high-wattage equipment that runs only briefly—for example, a hairdryer—will use fewer kilowatt hours than products like space heaters, which run for long periods.

A refrigerator built before 1993 is ripe for replacement with a newer, higher-efficiency model. The federal Energy Star label identifies high-efficiency appliances and electronics. Air-dry dishes instead of using the heated drying cycle, and run dishwashers and clothes washing machines only when full. Save hot water by substituting short showers for baths.

3. Perform basic maintenance.
Install an insulating blanket on older water heaters, and insulate all accessible air ducts and hot-water pipes. Replace furnace filters, and get a tune-up on your furnace or boiler every couple of years.

4. Set back the thermostat. If you set a programmable thermostat "back" (cooler in winter and warmer in summer) for eight hours, you can save around 10% on your annual heating and cooling bills.

5. Get the tax credit.
High-efficiency furnaces and boilers are among many energy improvements on existing homes that are eligible for a federal tax credit through the end of 2007. Other qualified improvements include insulation, windows, exterior doors, circulating fans, and solar heating and photovoltaic systems.

6. Schedule an audit. During a home energy audit, an expert examines your house with a thermographic scanner and a blower door, which detect leaks through different methods. Visit the Department of Energy's Web site at energy.gov for more information about energy audits.

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