Want to save money on your energy bill? Consumer Reports offers
money-saving advice for homeowners on ways to cut energy costs and be
environmentally friendly too. Here are 10 of them:

1. Change lighting. You can save money and energy by using
   compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to replace regular bulbs. Energy
   Star-qualified CFLs are required to meet certain standards, one of which is that
   they have to save consumers at least $30 in energy costs over the bulb’s roughly
   7,500- to 10,000-hour life. Changing just 5 often-used regular bulbs to CFLs can
   save $25 per year on electricity. [Note: CFLs contain small amounts of mercury,
   which should not be released into the environment. Check with local sanitation
   services or the EPA’s Web site www.epa.gov/bulbrecycling to
   find out where CFLs can be recycled.
2. Program the thermostat. Slash home heating costs by up to
   20% per year by decreasing your home temperature by 5 to 10 degrees during the
   night or when no one is home. A programmable thermostat can do this for you, or
   you can set it back yourself.
3. Boost heating efficiency. Save up to 40% on your annual
   energy bill by sealing leaks, cracks, and gaps in the duct distribution system
   for your central heating and cooling system. These savings accrue year round and
   are often greater than the savings from installing a more efficient furnace or
   central air conditioner. Caulk holes in walls, especially if they penetrate
   between floors to an unheated basement or attic.
4. Add insulation. Save hundreds of dollars a year on energy
   bills by improving your home’s insulation. The cost of the job can be recouped
   in as little as 2 years.
5. Save money on hot water. Insulate hot-water pipes and lower
   the temp on the water heater (to 120 degrees F) to save up to 5% on energy
   bills.
6. Use space heaters wisely. There are potential energy
   savings if a home’s central heating system is used sparingly to prevent freezing
   and only a room or two are heated with an electric space heater.
7. Replace worn-out windows. Replacing old single-pane windows
   that are beyond simple repairs, such as caulking and weather stripping, can save
   between 10 and 25% on a heating bill.
8. Understand Energy Star. Energy Star appliances are
   typically more efficient than others and will generally cost less to
   run.
9. Don’t use fires for heating. Wood-burning fireplaces may
   look romantic and feel toasty, but they actually suck the heat from the home up
   and out the chimney. Glass doors improve the situation only slightly. Wood- and
   pellet-burning stoves provide more heat not only because their hot surfaces are
   directly heating room air, but also because they are designed as a heat
   source.
10. Avoid energy scams. Beware of pitches from door-to-door
    salespeople, unsolicited letters and phone callers who promise to save you big
    bucks on your heating bill.