Install inexpensive pipe insulation on hot-water pipes. Flush sediment from your hot-water tank once or twice a year. IIf you plan to be gone for more than three days, turn off electricity to the water heater at the main fuse box. Line-dry clothes when possible. EnergyStar washing machines use as much as 40 percent less water and 60 percent less energy than standard washers, and they get clothes noticeably cleaner.
Lighting Turn off all lights in unused rooms.
Turn off computers, stereos and TVs when not in use. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights. These use approximately one-fourth the energy of incandescent light bulbs, give off pleasing, indirect light and last 10 times longer. Use natural daylight when possible. Using one large bulb rather than several smaller ones saves energy.