CNET'S QUICK GUIDE: Shrink your next energy bill

Where can you cut waste at home?

Because keeping your home at a comfortable temperature comprises the bulk of energy expenses, it's essential to look for leaks. Scan your house for commonsense clues. Is a bookcase blocking an eastern window, forcing you to flick on the lights rather than soak in morning sunlight for free? On the other hand, curtains on those sliding-glass patio doors could help to keep the summer sun from baking the room. And in winter, a drafty wooden door might leak the hot air that you're paying to pump through the vents. The Department of Energy's Energy Savers guide includes detailed advice, with links to low-income weatherization assistance.

Armed with your latest stack of utilities bills, you can visit the Home Energy Saver Web site for an energy audit of your home. This free tool from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory takes into account the age, size, and location of your abode, as well as your cooling and heating systems and current bills, and produces a customized report showing how you might save money. In our tests, we received 16 tips targeted to more than halve the annual utilities costs for an 1870 vintage San Francisco apartment. The thorough upgrade report advised to replace our creaky dishwasher with an Energy Star model, to install better insulation for our foundation and walls, and so on. However, many of these suggestions involve some expertise and up-front investment to achieve, as they're designed to save ducats over a period of two years.

We also like the quizzes at the Energyguide Web site, which breaks down energy- and money-saving tips that fit your home, such as installing a solar-powered hot water heater, with links to environmentally friendly energy suppliers. If solar, wind, and other greener power sources pique your interest, check out this map to see what alternatives are available in your state, as well as magazines such as Home Power.

While you'll spend money up front to purchase new hardware and systems, you might make back some of that investment in a tax return. The 2005 Energy Policy Act allows you to get up to $500 back from the government for installing approved windows, roofs, and heat or air conditioning systems, as well as a 30 percent credit toward installing solar panels. Check out this breakdown to see what you might save. And when you upgrade, don't forget to dispose of your old appliances in an eco-friendly way.

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