save on your heating bill

Check it out: Determine the energy efficiency of your home with an energy audit, a
process that assesses how much energy your home uses and recommends measures you
can take to improve efficiency. Contact your utility company to see if they offer free or
discounted home energy audits.
• Cool it down: If no one is home during the day, turn your thermostat setting down to 65
degrees. You can also install a programmable thermostat. These devices can automatically
turn down your heat.
• Change it out: Change your furnace air filters every time pay your gas or electricity bill.
The cleaner the filter, the more efficient the furnace. Not changing the air filter regularly
reduces airflow into the home and can create costly obstructions in the unit.
• Crank it down: Set your water heater to 120 degrees. The device will be more
energy-efficient than at higher temperatures and will still produce enough hot water for
daily needs. Also, if your manufacturer allows, properly insulate your pipes and water
heater.
• Close it up: Cold air enters and warm air escapes when the flue/damper on your fireplace
is left open. Close it up when you’re not using it.
• Seal it up: Caulk, seal and weather-strip where drafts are detected: It’s one of the cheapest
and easiest ways to save on heating costs. Walk through your home with a lit stick of
incense. Drafts will pull the smoke that direction, making it easier to determine where the
cold air is seeping in.
• Cover it up or take it off: Check to ensure adequate insulation: Your attic, ceilings,
exterior and basement walls, floors and crawl space are the places you want to ensure are
well insulated. Keep blinds and curtains open on sunny days and close them at night to
better insulate your windows. Also, avoid blocking heat registers and air returns with
furniture, drapes or rugs.
• Rip it out: If your unit is older than 10 years, consider upgrading to a more
energy-efficient unit, which will save you money in the long run and is more
environmentally friendly.
• Routine maintenance important in keeping your heating unit efficient, but it’s paramount
to safety if you have a gas furnace, which produces carbon monoxide (CO), a deadly
colorless and odorless gas that can seep into your home through leaks. Inspectors test for
CO leaks when they check out your heating system.
• More than 15,000 people are treated annually in hospital emergency rooms for
unintentional carbon monoxide exposure and about 500 people a year die from it. Carbon
monoxide is the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the country, with
CO-related deaths at their peak during colder months.