| By :
Nick Messe
Winter is quickly approaching and the cold, frigid days and nights are about to set in. With the cost of fuel these days the forecast is calling for high energy bills. If you haven't already, it is time to prepare your home and your furnace to handle the onslaught of the frosty wind, without breaking the bank. There are several quick and inexpensive tips that can help you winterize your home this winter season. If you have older windows in your home, plastic sheeting that you customize yourself to fit can go a long way to keeping the warm air in and the cold air out. This sheeting is simple to install, reasonably priced and will save you a bundle on heating costs. After insuring that your windows are securely covered you will then want to take a look at your exterior doors. Be sure to inspect the weather stripping surrounding the door frame. Make sure there are not any rips or pieces missing. Weather stripping is a cheap and very cost effective way of ensuring you are not losing valuable heat this winter. You will also want to check the door sweep and threshold located on the bottom of the door and floor. Be sure that the door sweep is solidly in place without any bends or breaks. It is important that the door sweep fit snug against the floor. Winterizing your windows and doors will help very little in lowering your heating costs this winter if you are not properly caring for your furnace. Regular maintenance and cleaning of your home furnace is crucial. There are simple things you can do to maintain your furnace by regularly replacing your filter and cleaning your blower and motor. By simply using a hand held vacuum on the blower and motor you can increase efficiency and the life span of your furnace. Cleanings should be done every three months and filters should be replaced at the beginning of the winter season and every month thereafter. An ideal way of lowering your heat costs this winter is by installing a programmable thermostat. The idea behind this is to provide an energy savings solution for your home without sacrificing comfort. By using a programmable device you can set your thermostat to run at a lower temperature when you know that the house will be empty and to kick up a few degrees about a half hour before every one is set to return home. Programming your furnace at a lower temperature throughout the night when the household is asleep is another great way to lower energy costs. Installing a programmable thermostat is a simple do it yourself project that can be completed in about an hour. If you are installing a more complex model then you may need to call in an electrician or an HVAC professional to run additional wire.
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