For most homeowners, the sting of a sky-high electricity bill is more than enough to prompt their interest in energy savings. Check out these easy methods to help lower your monthly bills.

1. Attic insulation.  Most of the heat transference in a home occurs in the attic, whether it’s indoor heat escaping in winter or outdoor heat penetrating during summer. Checking the depth and coverage of your attic insulation is important for all seasons. Measure the depth of your insulation in a few different places.  Also look for places over living areas of the house where insulation may be missing. Check online energy conservation sites to see what “R” factor insulation you have and if it is adequate for your part of the country. The “R” factor is a measure of resistance to heat transfer and has a direct impact on your energy usage. If you’re uncertain about doing this job yourself with rented equipment, consider hiring a professional. Ensuring that you have adequate attic insulation gives you more energy-savings bang for your buck than almost anything else.

2. Window seals. Take a good look around the edges of your windows both inside and out. Look for any gaps in caulk or rubber seals. Re-caulk and reseal where necessary. The same thing applies to the rubber seals around the edges of your outside doors. Unless you have old, single-pane windows, you shouldn’t have to worry about replacement window costs.

3. Get a programmable thermostat. Once you have a programmable thermostat you’ll wish you’d gotten one sooner. They make it easy to set the inside temperature to rise and fall on a schedule that mimics your family’s living, working and sleeping schedule. Why heat or cool the home when everyone is at work or school all day? Also, experiment with setting heating and air conditioning temperatures that test the limits of what you find comfortable. Combining this with a willingness to layer your clothing may save you a considerable amount of money.

4. Use fluorescent and LED bulbs. Achieve double savings by switching to fluorescent and LED bulbs. First, they both use a fraction of the electricity of the old incandescent bulbs. In a typical house with fifty bulbs, switching to these more efficient lights can save about $100 per year in electricity costs. Second, fluorescent and LED bulbs rarely burn out. While they do cost more to buy than incandescent bulbs, they will often last for years without needing replacement. The combined energy savings and replacement costs make them well worth considering. No matter what kind of bulbs you use, turn off lights when you exit a room.

5. Run a full load. That goes for the dishwasher and your washer and dryer. Because you’ll be using your machines less frequently, your savings will be considerable — on  both electricity and water useage. With less wear and tear on your machines, you also will ultimately save on replacement costs. When you must buy replacement appliances, look for the blue “Energy Star” sticker designating that they have met the federal government’s energy efficiency standards.

6. Cut the power to TVs, audio systems, computers not in use.  Lurking in your home are silent energy thieves or so-called power vampires. Even when not in use, TVs, treadmills, computers and other electronics still use electricity to keep internal components powered up. Either unplug them when not in use or put them on a power strip that has an on-off switch you can easily flip.

Homeowners with an eye on water conservation will be richly rewarded, saving themselves money on monthly water bills and helping their fellow citizens guard against potential water shortages. Here are six ways to tap into savings at the tap.

Low-flow faucet heads.  Install low-flow nozzles on all your faucets, particularly your showers. These faucet flow restrictors can cut the flow rate by half in some cases, saving water and money. There is also a device called  ShowerStart, which pauses the flow of water, once it is warm, until you step in and begin showering.

Full loads only.  In other words, don’t run a half empty dishwasher or wash a handful of clothes. By waiting until you have a full load,  you’ll also run your machines less frequently. If your machines are old, consider replacing them with more efficient models that use less water and electricity. Look for the Energy Star label. In the bathroom, set a timer when showering. Long hot showers may feel luxurious, but they’re water wasters.

Low-flush toilet tanks. If you live in an older home, consider replacing your toilets with low-capacity tanks that use less water per flush. As an alternative, place a brick in the tank to displace some of the capacity, saving water per flush.

Check for leaks.  Start with your toilets. Put a couple of drops of dye in the holding tank and wait about 30 minutes. If the color has seeped into the bowl, you have a leak and it’s time to install a new flush kit for the inner parts of the tank. To check for leaks elsewhere, go to the meter box  in your yard when you’re certain no water is being used. You will see three things: a digital counter showing water usage, a large needle that does revolutions around the whole face of the meter, and a small red or black spinner. Is the little spinner turning? Watch it for a minute or two. If it moves, you have a leak. Take a photo for documentation, then return in an hour to check the digital counter. If it has changed with no water usage, you will have documented proof of a leak. Time to call a plumber to track it down.

Turn off the water. After you wet your toothbrush, turn off the water while you brush. When hand-washing dishes, turn off the water between rinses. When shaving, run a bowl of shallow water and dip the razor in the water between strokes rather than holding it under flowing water. Little things like this add up.

Watering your landscape.  The best thing you can do is invest in an irrigation system and learn to use it effectively.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.

Having homeowners insurance is a necessity, but there’s no reason to pay more in premiums than you must. Here are multiple ways to save money while still staying safe.

Insurance rates are calculated by the insurable risk you pose to the company. Most of the savings listed here reduce risk. Don’t forget: The insurance amount is for the value of the home and other structures — not the land.

Buying new. Newer homes with fire-resistant materials such as fiber cement siding will lower your insurance risk. If you buy an older home, rewiring, new siding and other potential safety improvements will lower your risk profile.

Proximity to fire station and hydrants. The closer you are to the nearest fire station and hydrants, the lower your risk potential.

Protective devices. Having the following devices will help your rates: smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, water leak detectors, monitored burglar alarms, internal sprinkler systems, and deadbolts.

No high-risk factors. Insurance companies view pools, trampolines and dangerous dogs as a risk. If you have a pool your rates will be higher for liability coverage and you must adhere strictly to requirements for a fence and locking gates. Trampoline accidents are common, and some insurance companies won’t cover them. Many insurance companies have a list of dog breeds that they consider too risky for liability coverage.

Raise your deductible amount. Your deductible is the portion of a loss that you cover from your own pocket before insurance kicks in. Lower premiums by accepting a higher deductible amount.

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Consider your homeowners insurance as protection against catastrophe, such as a fire or major storm damage. Filing small claims will likely boost your rates.

Keep your credit score high. In some states, insurance companies are allowed to check your credit score as one factor in determining your rates. Good credit equals lower risk to the company and lower premiums to you.

Multi-line and multi-year. It is common for insurers to offer lower rates to households that buy auto and homeowners policies. Umbrella coverage may translate to even deeper discounts. Customer loyalty may also be rewarded with discounts.

Lesser-known discounts. Some companies offer better rates to non-smokers. Auto-draft payment will also shave a few dollars off a policy.

Shop and compare. It never hurts to shop and compare rates as your renewal period approaches. Be sure to shop rates for all coverages that would go into a bundled package. Compare having different policies with different companies and whether you can save enough that way, versus bundled rates with all your policies under one provider.

Not intended to solicit buyers or sellers currently under contract.