Save money and feel warmer this winter

Winter means turning on the furnace – but there are ways to make staying warm a little less painful to your wallet.

Get An Energy Audit.

A home energy audit, also known as a home energy assessment, is the first step to assess how much energy your home consumes and to evaluate what measures you can take to make your home more energy efficient. This includes a series of tests that tell you the efficiency of your heating and cooling system. Such audits are often available through your utilities provider; based on your test results, the auditor will recommend low-cost improvements to save energy and larger upgrades that will pay you back within five to seven years.

Improve Your Insulation.

Poor insulation can be quite costly, especially during the winter months. What many people fail to realize is that poor insulation affects utility bills in the summer, as well. If your home is not properly insulated, you will end up spending more money on gas and electricity trying to keep it warm over the winter and cool during the summer.

Look For Drafts.

Check for leaks in ducts, walls, ceilings, doors and windows. After locating any air leaks, begin plugging them up with caulk, foam, tape or some other form of weather-stripping material. This is a fairly simple project that can reduce your energy costs by hundreds of dollars a year.