6 Simple Energy-Saving Home Fixes

Go With the Flow

Install a high-performance showerhead. This uses 1½ gallons of water per minute (gpm) rather than 2½ gallons, the federal upper limit for new showerheads. By switching from a 2½-gpm to a 1½-gpm model ($20 and up), a family of four (each person taking daily 10-minute showers) could save about $88 a year on water and energy costs with gas water heating and $135 a year with electric, according to figures from the DOE Federal Energy Management Program.