I can advise and do the following basic upgrades on your home to make it more energy efficient. These quick projects all have a lot of bang for the buck and can pay for themselves within a year or two.

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1. REPLACING INCANDESCENT BULBS WITH COMPACT FLOURESCENTS - Upgrading your most frequently used lights to compact fluorescent bulbs will save you money on electricity and cooling. Plus they last 4 times as long.

2. SEALING AIR LEAKAGES IN YOUR HOME - Caulking and foaming in gaps in your home plus adding weather stripping and door sweeps can save 25% or more on your heating and cooling bills. A blower door test by an environmental auditor can reveal hidden leaks. For common areas of leakage see Air Sealing by the EPA.

3. INSTALLING A PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTAT - A programmable thermostat allows you to adjust the temperature when you are out of the house or sleeping, saving you money on your heating and cooling.

4. TURNING DOWN YOUR HOT WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE - A simple twist of the dial on your hot water heater can save on electricity or natural gas.

5. INSTALLING CEILING FANS - Moving air across your body makes the temperature feel lower allowing you to raise the temperature setting on your air conditioner and thus saving on electricity.

6. INSTALLING LOW-FLOW SINK FAUCETS AND SHOWERHEADS - Low-flow devices reduce your water usage and also hot water usage while still powerful enough for a strong flow.

7. CHECKING AND CHANGING YOUR FILTERS ON YOUR HVAC SYSTEM - A clogged filter makes your air conditioner or heater work harder and wastes energy and costs you more money.

8. ADDING A WATER PURIFIER TO YOUR SINK - By filtering your own purified water and not buying bottled water you save money. You also avoid the waste of producing bottles.

9. INSULATING HOT WATER PIPES - Keeps the hot water hot and reduces how hard your hot water heater needs to work.

10. INSTALLING A LOW WATER USE TOILET - When you decide it's time to put in a new toilet, a low water use toilet will reduce your water bill and lower your carbon footprint.