10 Ways to Save on Your Heating Bills

1. Set your thermostat as low as is comfortable in the winter. For each degree you raise your thermostat setting, your fuel bill climbs 3%. So dress accordingly.

2. Clean or replace filters on furnaces once a month or as needed. A simple task like this could improve your systems' energy efficiency by 10%.

3. Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters and radiators as needed; make sure they're not blocked by furniture, carpeting or drapes.

4. Bleed trapped air from hot-water radiators once or twice a season; if in doubt about how to perform this task, call a professional.

5. Place heat-resistant radiator reflectors between exterior walls and the radiators.

6. Use kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans wisely; in just 1 hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed air. Try to keep the humidity level between 30 – 60%.

7. Keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home and closed at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.

8. Close an unoccupied room that is isolated from the rest of the house and turn down the thermostat or turn off the heating for that room/zone. However, do not turn the heating off if it adversely affects the rest of your system.

9. Consider installing double-pane windows with protective coating that reflects heat back into your home during winter. If such a retrofit is not in your budget, cover your windows with clear plastic film. At a typical cost of $4 - $6 per window, the film creates an insulating air pocket between the plastic and the window, reducing heat loss through windows by 25 – 50%.

10. Caulk and weather strip around exterior seams, cracks and openings. Pay extra attention around windows and at points where various exterior materials like wood, brick and vinyl siding meet. On the inside, caulking and weather-stripping around windows and door frames will cut down on drafts.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

1. Check the roof: Before the rain and snow hit, take a close look at your roofing, including flashings. Repair or replace anything that's loose or missing and caulk and seal flashings to prevent water from getting into the attic.

2. Seal exterior penetrations: freshen up caulking around doors, windows, plumbing penetrations and anywhere else that drafts can occur.

3. Close foundation vents: If you have opened your foundation vents for the summer to allow accumulated moisture to escape, close them up again as soon as the nighttime temperatures hover down around freezing. Also, install exterior faucet covers.

4. Check firewood supplies: To get the maximum heat value from your firewood, it needs to be dry. Stack your wood on an elevated platform - old pallets work well - and make sure that the wood is covered and protected from the elements.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

5. Move freeze-prone liquids: If you have paint, car care products, lawn and garden products or other liquids that are prone to freezing, move them into an area where they'll be protected from winter's chill. Use caution when moving potentially hazardous materials into the house – check and follow all the manufacturer's storage instructions printed on the label.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

6. Check for drafts: Even the smallest cracks around doors and windows can create drafts. With your exterior doors closed, have another person stand outside and shine a bright light all around the door. If you see light from inside, it's time to repair or replace your weather-stripping. Around windows, use a candle -- preferably on a breezy day -- to check for air leaks, then repair the weather-stripping as needed.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

7. Check fireplace safety and efficiency: For conventional fireplaces, give some thought to installing airtight glass doors to improve efficiency and reduce drafts. If you already have doors, check and replace the seals as needed and adjust latches and hinges. Now is also the time to have the chimney cleaned and checked for problems and to check spark arrestor caps.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

8. Check gas appliances: If you have a gas fireplace, range, water heater or other appliance using propane or natural gas, have your utility company or heating contractor inspect flues, fittings and other components of your systems for potential issues.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

9. Install a carbon monoxide detector: The possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning from a malfunctioning appliance increases substantially as we close our homes up for the winter. Take the time to pick up a carbon monoxide detector and get it installed.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

10. Check smoke detectors: fall and spring are the times to replace your smoke detector batteries and check that the detector is operating correctly. If you have an older house with a limited number of smoke detectors, you also need to install additional detectors outside each bedroom.

12 Ways To Winterize Your Home

11. Check the heating system: A heating system tune-up is always in order this time of year. This should include changing the filter in your furnace; having your ducts cleaned; checking and possibly increasing insulation over ductwork running through the attic or crawlspace; clearing debris and overhanging shrubbery from around outdoor heat pump equipment; and having faulty or inefficient thermostats repaired or replaced.