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    Cold winter days and nights can put stress on the household heating bill.  Taking a few important steps to improve a home's heating efficiency, however can help save on the monthly tab from the local utility company. 

    Here are a few useful tips and advice on how to cut energy costs during the winter months.

    1.    Take Advantage of Heat from the Sun - Open curtins on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows. 

    2.    Cover Drafty Windows - Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of your window frames during the cold winter months.  Make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration. Install tight fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows that feel drafty after winterizing.

    3.    Adjust the Temperature - When you are home and awake, set your thermostat as low as is comfortable.  When you are alseep or out of the house, turn your thermostat back 10-15 degrees for eight hous and save around 10% a year on heating and cooling bills.  A programmable thermostat can make it easy to set back your temperature. 

    4.     Find and Seal Leaks - Seal the air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes ("plumbing penetrations"), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.  Add caulk or weatherstripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.

    5.    Maintain Your Heating Systems - Schedule service for you heating system.  Replace your furnace filter once a month or as needed.  Wood and Pellet buring heaters clean the flute vent regularly and clean the inside of the appliance with a wire brush periodically to ensure that your home is heated efficiently.

    6.    Reduce Heat Loss from the Fireplace - Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is going.  Keep the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter, it allows warm air to go right out the chimney. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flute. 

    7.    Lower your water Heating Costs - Water heating can amount for 14%-25% of the energy consumed in your home.  Turn down the temperature of you water heater to the warm setting (120 degrees). 

    Some of these tips above are free and can be used on a daily basis to increase your savings; others are simple and inexpensive actions you can take to ensure maximum savings through the winter.