Don't shiver through another winter.  Prepare your home now before the winter winds start blowing.

Weatherstripping and caulking are probably the least expensive, most effective ways to save energy in the winter. Take these steps:

  • Check around doors and windows for leaks and drafts. Add weatherstripping and caulk any holes you see that allow heat to escape. Make sure doors seal properly.
  • If your windows leak badly, consider replacing them with newer, more efficient ones. Keep in mind, however, that replacing windows can be expensive – it could take you quite awhile to recover your costs from the energy savings alone. 
  • Every duct, wire or pipe that penetrates the wall, ceiling or floor has the potential to waste energy. Seal them all with caulking or weatherstripping.
  • Electric wall plugs and switches can allow cold air to enter. Purchase simple-to-install foam gaskets that fit behind the switch plate and effectively prevent leaks.
  • Don’t forget to close the damper on your fireplace when the fireplace is not in use. If the damper is open when you’re not using the fireplace, your chimney functions as a large open window that draws warm air out of the room and creates a draft.
  • Reverse your fan. In the summertime, a fan is a wonderful way to keep cool, but your fan can also help circulate warm air in the winter. When you reverse the direction of your fan (there’s a little switch on the motor housing), the fan will push warm air downward and recirculate it through the room. To ensure your fan is spinning in the correct direction, set it so the blades are spinning clockwise when you look up.

TUNE UP YOUR FURNACE THIS FALL
Save energy this fall and winter by having your furnace tuned up. Furnaces can go approximately three to five years between service calls and longer, if you change the filters regularly.

Changing filters regularly is one of the key maintenance tasks to keep any type of furnace running efficiently. Make sure you know where your furnace’s filter is located and what size it is. Inspect it periodically, and replace it when it is dirty. How frequently you need to change the filter depends on the amount of dirt in the house and around the furnace and also how much time the furnace operates.