We want to help you control your energy costs. Instead of reaching for the thermostat when it is bitterly cold outside, take a conservative approach to staying warm and keeping costs down. The following winter energy savings tips will help you save money and energy.

• Change disposable furnace filters every 30 days. The day you receive your bill from us in the mail can serve as a handy reminder that it's time to change the filter.



• Check your thermostat setting. For every degree you turn down your thermostat, you can save 3-5% on the heating portion of your monthly bill. Turn your thermostat down to 62-65 degrees at night or if you're going to be away from home for several hours or more.



• Check the caulking and weather stripping around doors and windows to keep cold air out and warm air in. (Caulking should be soft and without cracks for optimum performance.)



• Use draft stoppers at doors and windows.



• Put extra blankets on the bed.



• Close the dampers and doors in fireplaces when not in use unless you have a gas fireplace.



• On sunny days, open drapes and blinds to allow the sunlight to warm rooms, close drapes and blinds at night to retain the heat.



• Turn down your water heater to a low or medium setting.



• If your water heater was purchased before 1990, add a water heater jacket (available from hardware or home improvement stores for $10 - $15) to save energy.



• The loss of daylight during winter means turning on more lights at home. Compact fluorescent light bulbs last 13 times longer than incandescent bulbs and use 75 percent less energy.



• The air at the floor level is cooler than the air at the ceiling, so always wear socks and shoes in the winter.