Actions You Can Take Today

1. Turn down your thermostat when away or at night. You could save up to 1% off your heating bill for every degree you lower your thermostat. And, contrary to urban legend, it does NOT use significantly more energy to warm your house back up again.

2. Reduce the temperature of your hot water heater. Reducing your hot water temp from 130 to 120 degrees can save $50-$100 per year and up to 2% of your total household fuel use and carbon dioxide production. If your setting is higher, so are the savings.

3. Open blinds and drapes on the south side of your house to let in sunlight during the day and close them tight each night. Even in the dead of winter, south-facing sunlight can warm your house an extra few degrees. Close the blinds at night , and it will trap the warmth and reduce your heating needs for a few hours.

4. Clean or replace your air filters. This not only cleans out the creepy-crawlies before they get recirculated through your house, but improves the efficiency of your heating system.