More Ways to Cut Your Energy Bill

Here's a simple checklist of things you can do today to lower your energy bills:

$ Reduce the temperature of your water heater to 120F. You'll save energy and avoid scalding your hands.

$ Install an insulating blanket around your water heater. It will pay for itself in a year or less.

$ Use energy-saving settings on refrigerators, dish-washers, washing machines, and clothes dryers. Air-dry your dishes instead of using the dishwasher's heater.

$ Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescents. These can save up to 75% of electricity used for lighting. The best targets are 60- to 100-watt bulbs that are on several hours each day.

$ Clean or replace your home's furnace, air-conditioner, and heat-pump filters to improve air flow.

$ Place rope caulk around leaky windows or install film covers over windows to insulate them. Both products are readily available at hardware and do-it-yourself stores.

$ Seal up the largest air leaks in your home - the ones that feel drafty or whistle on windy days. The worst energy-drainers usually are not windows and doors but holes in walls to accommodate pipes, gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.

$ Install a clock thermostat to set your thermostat to a lower temperature automatically at night and when you are away.