We've got a few major appliances that are ready to be replaced. We calculate that we can afford to replace just one of them. How do we figure out which one is using the most electricity?

I suggest that you use a plugin meter, which measures the power use of nearly any electric device. They're easy to use and Efficiency Vermont loans them at no cost. You can fill out a simple on-line form at www.efficiencyvermont. com/meterloan.

When you determine which appliance you'll replace, look for an ENERGY STAR® qualified model. The ENERGY STAR label indicates that a product exceeds minimum federal energy-efficiency standards. Qualifying products of any brand can receive this label. Efficiency Vermont offers rebates for select ENERGY STAR products available in retail stores throughout the state.

Thanks for a great question!

- Bob for The Home Team

We're putting a screened-in deck on the house, and we expect to spend lots of time out there this summer - even in black fly season. Do compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) work outdoors?

They sure do. In fact, if you plan to put them in outdoor fixtures that you'll also use in the winter, such as on the front porch, look for ENERGY STAR® qualified CFLs that are designed to work both in warm and cold weather. To find them, take a look on the CFL packaging and you'll see the operating temperature. Wording might be something like "Minimum starting temperature 0 degrees F".

Keep in mind that CFLs take a bit longer to get bright when used outdoors in cold weather. So they are not a good fit for places where you want short periods of instant light, like on motion sensors, on the coldest winter nights.

Like all CFLs, these outdoor bulbs use up to 75% less energy and can last as much as 10 times longer than incandescents. And, like all fluorescent lighting, CFLs contain mercury - about 1/5 the amount in a watch battery. (To put that in perspective: Older household thermometers contain about 100 times as much mercury as in a CFL.). So, when it's time to retire a CFL, it can't be put in household recycling or trash. Recycle it at a participating hardware store or solid waste district.

Enjoy your new deck! - Kathleen for The Home Team