The Winter season is often marked by joyful holiday celebrations, quality time with family and friends…

And a dent in our pocketbooks.

On top of the usual holiday expenses, low temperatures can cause our monthly energy bills to skyrocket.

By taking some easy steps to prepare your home for the winter season, you and your family can stay warm all winter long AND keep energy costs down.

• Find and cover air leaks. There are tons of places in our homes that could let in cold air, making your heater work harder than it should. Check your doors, windows, fireplace dampers, and mail slots. Give your heater a break and plug any leaks with plastic sheets, towels, or caulk – whatever you have readily available!

   

• Run your ceiling fan… in reverse. During the winter, warm air rises and settles by the ceiling. Set your fan to spin in reverse and run it on its lowest setting to push that warm air back down and around your house.  

   

• Turn your thermostat down when you’re not at home. Turning your thermostat down a few degrees while you’re sleeping or out of the house is a great way to shave a few bucks off of your energy bill. Just make sure your pets aren’t too chilly!
  
  TIP: Programmable thermostats allow you to automatically set when the temperature moves up and down each day, so you’ll never forget.

   

• Let the sunlight in! Open the curtains on south-facing windows during the day to let the warm sunlight in. At night, close the curtains to keep out the chill from cold windows.

   

• Keep your heating system in tip-top shape. Every year before the winter season, make sure to get your heating system inspected or serviced – and replace filters as needed.
  
  If your heating system is more than 15 years old, it may also be time to consider a replacement, as newer systems are much more energy efficient.