For all heating systems:

• Get a professional system tune-up once a year. This ensures your system operates at peak efficiency. It can also help you save as much as 10% on your annual fuel bills. If you spend $2,500 annually on fuel, a tune-up can help you save $250! Besides saving money on fuel, tune-ups can reveal safety problems such as frayed wires, worn parts, or a blocked chimney or flue.

For warm air systems:

• Keep areas around the heating supply vents and returns free from obstructions and clean.
• Replace disposable air filters each month. If you have the electrostatic filters, clean frequently to improve the airflow in your system.
• Have ductwork checked to make sure valuable heat isn’t being lost through leaks or cracked joints.

For hot water systems:

• Place metal or cardboard covered with aluminum foil behind radiators or baseboards to "bounce" the heat back into the room.
• Before the heating season, remove the dust from the heating fins in the baseboard by using a portable vacuum cleaner and a soft brush.

Other tips:

• Planting trees and shrubs will not only make your home more attractive, but may help you save money on energy costs. Deciduous trees (those that lose their leaves in the winter) located on the south side of your home helps save energy all year long. During the summer, the leaves shade your home saving money (about 10-20%) on air conditioning. When the trees shed their leaves, sunlight can get through and warm your home in the fall and winter.

• A ceiling fan will allow you to circulate air in the room and save money all year. The fan will move air in the summer making it seem cooler in the room. In the winter the warm air will rise and if the fan circulates the air down toward the living area you can take advantage of this warm air.

Tips to reduce your water heating bills:

• If possible, turn the water heater thermostat to a lower setting.
• If the water heater is located in an unheated part of the house, insulate it with a water heater jacket. Read installation instructions carefully.
• Buy a new, more efficient water heater. You could save over 30% and get more hot water on demand.
• Fix hot water leaks promptly. One drop of hot water per second in one month adds up to 16 baths.
• Install a low-flow showerhead; you use about one-third less water per shower. These are available at your local home repair center or hardware store and can be installed with a few simple tools.

Fireplace tips:

• If you have a wood-burning fireplace, avoid using it when temperatures are under 30 degrees. You lose heat because your fireplace draws warm air from the rest of the house and sends it up the chimney.
• Close doors and warm air ducts in the room with the fireplace.
• Open a window near the fireplace a small amount to supply air for the fire.
• Lower the thermostat so the furnace won’t come on when the heat is drawn form other parts of the house.
• Make sure the fire is completely out and close the flue before you go to bed.

• Install glass doors to reduce the amount of warm air sent up your chimney.

Insulation Tips:

• If you do not know the amount of insulation in your home, check with a professional in your area. He will help you determine the areas where you could increase insulation to save money and also provide an estimate of the materials needed and cost to install them if you cannot do that yourself.
• Insulation is not only for the attic and walls of the home. Insulation may be placed around hot water pipes to reduce loss of heat between the hot water heater and faucet.
• Ductwork insulation is often forgotten when doing an energy audit of your home. Keeping the heated air (and cooled air when using your air conditioner) inside the duct will pay for itself in a short period of time. Air ducts in unfinished parts of the house should be insulated so the heated air in winter and cooled air in the summer isn’t lost before it gets to your living area.
• On a windy day, hold a lit incense stick neat your windows, doors, electrical boxes, and near plumbing fixtures or anyplace else you suspect may be leaking energy. If the smoke moves in a horizontal path, you have found a leak. Using caulk, weather stripping, or sealing the area will stop this energy loss.
• Drafts under doors or windows allow warm air to escape from your home. An easy way to block this escape path around doors involves placing "snakes" (fabric filled with bulky material) along the bottom of doors or windows.

Thermostats tips:

• Don’t fool your thermostat by locating it near sources of heat (stoves, televisions, computers, below heating ducts) causing the rest of the house to remain cold. The opposite effect occurs when the thermostat is located near outside doors and windows that are opened frequently.
• Use a clock thermostat (also known as a programmable or set back thermostat) to regulate temperatures when you are not at home. You can save as much as 10% if you use an automatic setback thermostat or programmable thermostat for 8 hours per day. You can select the temperature and times for the energy savings and may vary the settings for each day of the week.

"Treat" your windows right and save money:

• If your windows are not in good condition with rotting wood, poor sealing with the outside, cracked glass, etc. consider replacing them.
• Inner storm window kits that use clear plastic to reduce drafts are inexpensive, yet keep you from using the window. The better kits allow you to shrink the plastic with heat from a hair dryer for a better seal from outside air.
• Close shades, blinds or drapes to retain heat during the winter, particularly along the north side of the home. Light and heat will enter from windows facing the south so make use of this source of free energy.
• Make sure the tops and bottoms of drapes keep the outside temperature away from your living areas. Seal the top with cloth or wooden valences while using magnets or weights to keep the bottom of the drape close to the wall.