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Energy costs will not be getting any lower (at least not any time soon), so it's a good idea to do what you can to conserve fuel and limit costs. Here are a few simple ways to keep costs down.

• 1. Have your boiler, furnace, or heat pump cleaned and serviced before the heating season begins. I know it costs money, but even a thin layer of soot on the heat exchanger of a boiler or furnace can lower efficiency considerably



• 2. Make sure the house is TIGHT: Check all windows and doors to see that they close properly and the weather striping is sealing correctly. Make sure the fireplace damper is closed when not in use and that it closes properly.



• 3. Check your attic insulation. A large portion of your home's heat loss is through the roof. Adding extra insulation of 10 to 14 inches will give you a payback in a short time. Insulation is cheap compared to energy costs.



• 4. If you have a warm air furnace, change the filter about once a month to ensure proper airflow. Make sure all supply registers and returns are open and not blocked by furniture or curtains.



• 5. If you have a hot water heating system, vacuum all baseboard heaters and/or radiators to provide a good airflow. Check to see that the bottom of the baseboard heaters is open at least 3/4 inch and not blocked by carpet. If you have old-style radiators, make sure to "bleed" the air out one or two times during the season. If you don't know how to do this, your service person will be glad to show you.



• 6. Install an electronic programmable thermostat. These thermostats will let you program different temperatures for different times of the day. When you are away, you can have the heat turned down, saving energy. Then, you can program the heat to come on about a half hour before you come home, so you can walk into a warm house. (However, I wouldn't turn the temperature down more than 8 degrees Fahrenheit because the system then has to run that much longer to heat up not just the room air but also its contents, such as furniture.)



• 7. Learning to put on extra blankets or a sweater and live at a lower temperature will also save on heating bills.



• 8. Make sure to turn off kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans when finished cooking or showering. You don't want to heat the neighborhood.



• 9. Open southern exposure curtains in the winter to take advantage of heat gain and close them in summer to reduce heat gain.

As you can see, a little effort can help keep energy bills down and keep more money in your pocket.

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