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One thing I hate is the idea of paying to heat the house only to have it escape through various cracks and crevasses in the building. The US Dept of Energy's EERE (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy) office gives handy advice on how to carry out a Do It Yourself Energy Audit. It's a great idea to plug those gaps and hang on to your precious heat (or air in the summer). It's far too expensive to let it fly out the door unchecked.
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Compact fluorescent bulbs do save you money in the long run. You'll pay anything from about $12 a pack upwards. The Energy Star bulbs last ten times as long and save about $30 per bulb in electricity according to the government site. When you think about how many bulbs you have and the wattage you'd need you can calculate the cost vs. the long term savings. The billeater store has them if you need an average price guide.
Thank you. I'd thought about having an energy audit done professionally but it wasn't cheap. The biggest problem is getting the family to help. They don't think twice about leaving lights on or doors wide open. Have you tried those fancy light bulbs? I wouldn't want to get them and find they're not as good.
The only reason a great many American families don't own an elephant is that they have never been offered an elephant for a dollar down and easy weekly payments. - Mad Magazine.