It is important to know how much energy you are using and wasting.  Follow these simple tips to save money!

Calculate your heating costs

The US Department of Energy has developed a handy calculator dubbed "The Home Energy Saver(tm)" that you can use to find out how much energy you may be wasting.  Their website also includes up-to-date information on how you can save money, and with today's heating costs; this is a must do!

Don't let the heat escape

Find out where air is leaking out of your house.  The biggest culprits are doors, windows, fireplaces, and inefficient furnaces.  Use caulk, weather stripping, door sweeps, and any other means to seal out the drafty areas.  Evaluate the insulation in your home, a simple insulation upgrade will pay for itself alone in heating costs.  A quick way to seal up leaky windows is to install shrink wrap. Should you have an older, inefficient furnace, it may be time for a replacement.  Should your furnace be newer, make sure you have it cleaned and inspected by a professional every year to maintain optimum efficiency.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Heating equipment start up and shut down procedures require a lot of power.  As such, it is more practical for temperatures to heat gradually to  improve efficiency.  Installing a programmable thermostat enables you to use this principle to save money and energy.  Set it to cooler temperatures at night and higher temperatures when you wake up.  Your home will be warm only when you need it most, thus saving you money off of your heating bill.

Keep Temperatures Lower

Setting your thermostat a couple of degrees lower can make a sizable difference in your heating costs.  For every degree you take the thermostat down you should notice around 3% savings on your gas bill.  We recommend an indoor temperature setting at 68 degrees during waking hours and about 5+ degrees cooler when you're sleeping.  Set your programmable thermostat and forget about the 70s.  Come spring you'll be satisfied with all the savings you acquired during the winter!

Use Ceiling Fans

Ceiling fans are just as useful in the winter as they are in the summer.  Most fans have a switch that toggle between two directions.  When it's hot outside make sure the lower part of the paddle goes around the fan drawing air downwards.  Since heat rises, it's best to draw the air down.  This helps keep your rooms comfortable and compliments the natural properties of heat, thus saving your furnace some work!

Let the Sun In

Solar energy can make a big difference in heating costs if you invite it into your home.  If you have long drapes or blinds, open them up to take advantage of this free heat source - especially on the south side of your home where most of the sun can be invited in!

Less Heat to Hot Water

Because we're cold, we tend to use more hot water in the winter.  We take longer showers, wash our hands a bit longer and more frequently due to seasonal flu.  The best way to take a bite out of our winter water habits is to adjust the temperature setting on the water heater.  You can decrease it by as much as 20 degrees and still keep comfortable.  You might not even notice the difference! That is, until you see you've saved about 10% off your heating bill!

Do a little Maintenance

Changing your furnace filter allows your furnace to work a lot less harder, thus saving you money on your energy bill.  Filters should always be clean and unclogged.  This is especially important during the cold months when the furnace is working overtime.  The easiest way to remember changing them is to tie them in with paying your gas bill!  A fully cleaned furnace can make a big difference on your heating bill,  and that's when it will run at it's AFUE rating.  If you haven't had your furnace cleaned and checked, chances are it's going to be burning up more fuel and running a lot like an older one.  The best thing to do is to have annual maintenance done every fall.