Energy saving tips

AS TEMPERATURES DROP, home heating bills heat up.

Just how hot yours will get this winter depends in part on the type of heating system you use. For example, the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration anticipates that consumers with homes heated by natural gas will pay an average of $850 this winter - a 6% increase over last year. On the other hand, those who use oil will pay $926, roughly a 6% decrease from the 2002-03 season. (Figures for homes that use electricity weren't available; propane users can expect rates to be relatively flat at $1,121.) Of course, all bets are off should a brutal winter set in.

Mother Nature aside, your costs will obviously also depend on the size of your house and the region of the country you call home - neither of which, we suspect, you'd be willing to change just to shave a bit off your heating bill.

But you can take a few simple steps to slice hundreds off your annual energy tab. And, no, they don't require lowering your home's temperature to meat-locker levels. Here are five ways to cut costs with little or no inconvenience.

1. Schedule a Check-Up
Regardless of the type of heating system you have, it needs an annual check-up by a professional, says Wendy Reed, an Energy Star spokeswoman and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official. "It's like having your car tuned up," she says. "It's absolutely necessary maintenance that needs to be done on your system. Otherwise it will continue to lose efficiency over time." A small fee upfront will help avoid bigger costs down the line. And annual checkups are also an important safety precaution. (You can download A Guide to Energy Efficient Cooling and Heating at the Energy Star Web site, which includes a handy maintenance checklist.)

Keep in mind that if your heat is delivered through a duct system (the most common heating system in the U.S.), you aren't off the hook once your annual check-up is complete. You need to continue to clean or change the filters regularly, says Reed. If your filter is full of dust, your system will have to work harder - thus driving up costs. Generally, filters should be checked monthly, although some filters need to be checked only every three months.

Of course, if your system is a clunker - say, more than 20 years old - it could be time to think about a replacement. If you do, consider buying one with the Energy Star label. Yes, it will most likely require a greater upfront cost, concedes Rozanne Weissman, spokeswoman for the Alliance to Save Energy. But over time those costs will be recouped in energy savings. Energy Star furnaces, for example, are 15% more efficient than standard models.

2. Buy a Programmable Thermostat
After a cold commute, you like to open your door to a toasty home. And you hate waking up in a cold bedroom. But that doesn't mean you need to have the heat blasting day and night.

With a programmable thermostat, you can heat your home at various temperatures throughout the day, allowing the house to be cooler when no one is home or when everyone is asleep, says Mel Hall-Crawford, energy-projects manager at the Consumer Federation of America. You can crank up the heat 30 minutes before it's really needed, and never feel the difference.

Installing a programmable thermostat shouldn't set you back more than $150 - and you can quickly recoup your costs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, you can slash your heating and cooling bills by 10% annually just by turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for 8 hours a day.

3. Plug Up Small Leaks
Imagine a water balloon with lots of little pinholes in it. Sure, the holes are small, but that doesn't mean the balloon isn't losing water.

Chances are, your house is like that balloon - slowly but surely losing heat to tiny leaks. And a lot of little leaks can add up to one big fat bill. Doors and windows are the most obvious culprits here. But you also should check out electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, ducts and your attic door, according to the DOE. "If your home has leaks, you're in essence heating the outdoors," says Weissman.

So how do you know you've got problems? Some you can obviously feel. For smaller ones, a simple test suggested by the Department of Energy is to light an incense stick and hold it up near the locations mentioned earlier. If the smoke goes horizontal, you've found a leak.

The good news? Plugging up these leaks with caulking or weather stripping (whichever is appropriate) is easy and inexpensive, and you'll start saving immediately. Any hardware or home-improvement store will have the goods.

4. Add Insulation
Many homes - particularly those that are more than 20 years old - lose lots of heat because of poor insulation, according to the DOE. And because heat rises, the No. 1 problem area is your attic. (Other areas that could need more insulation are your basement, crawl space, floor and walls.)

Just how much insulation is recommended for each part of your home depends on your climate and your home's design. Insulation is measured in something called an "r-value." The higher the r-value, the greater the insulation. For help with what's appropriate for your home, click here for a DOE worksheet.

5. Look for Discounts
It's true: Some utility companies offer discounts to senior citizens with low income. It doesn't hurt to ask.

And one thing everyone should do when buying new products for the home is look for the Energy Star label. Over the long haul, Energy Star products provide substantial savings. And in some cases, upfront costs can be alleviated through rebates. The Energy Star Web site has a rebate finder to help you find deals.

6. Control Humidity with a humidifier
A 10% increase in humidity makes the air feel 1°F warmer. In the winter, many houses are literally desert dry. If you can control the indoor relative humidity, you'll see 69°F can feel like 72°F. Now that is saving you money