Mr. Hatzis recommends replacing three windows in the basement with insulated vinyl windows. He shows me where one window doesn't close properly; the others fit better but aren't insulated. The cold goesright through the single-pane window. In total, he finds 13 windows in the house that need to be replaced. Cost: $325 a window, including installation.

Four doors, including the two outside doors to the basement, need new weather stripping. Cost: $225. Mr. Hatzis tells me the back door leading out of my kitchen will have to be replaced: another $850.

I get my written report in the mail a few days later and find that the total cost for improvements is $8,115. The price starts to look pretty good when I read the payback period. According to ASK's calculations, the upgrades will cut my annual energy bills by $1,708 and will pay for themselves in less than five years.

My projected savings are well above the average of $600 a year, because I'll no longer have to supplement my gas boiler with two electric space heaters.

And if it pays back in less than 5 years, imagine how much quicker it will be if energy costs continue to rise. It's either that, or you can rely on Hugo Chavez.