Snow is in the forecast! It seems that as soon as the temperature drops, snow flurries appear and so do the heating bills.

However simple steps can be taken to avoid excessively high heating bills. Below are a few tips on how you can avoid heat anxiety this winter.

Weatherize and I

nsulate:

Make sure your attic is well insulated and heating and cooling ducts are sealed and insulated.

Replace window screens with storm windows and be sure to seal cracks around windows and doors with caulk or weather stripping. Specialty shrink plastic is also available to seal windows and prevent drafts.

Improve the Water Heater:

Believe it or not the water heater accounts for 14 percent of your energy bill! To improve water heater efficiency, wrap an insulating water heater blanket around it.

Also, lower your hot water temperature to 120 degrees (lowest recommended temperature if you have a dishwasher).

Check Heating System

Have your furnace serviced every year before the winter season; this can help save you up to 10 percent on your heating costs.

Check and change filters once a month.

Dirty filters prohibit air flow and cause the furnace to run longer.

Make sure that vents are open and not blocked by furniture or drapes and turn off heat in any unused storage area and close vents that are in unused bedrooms.

Thermostat

Temperature

Installing a programmable thermostat will help lower energy costs.

Programming the thermostat for 65 degrees at night and 55 degrees (warm enough to keep your pipes from freezing) when no one is home will make a great difference in energy use. In fact, each one degree drop in an eight hour period will help you save 3 percent on your heating bill.

If you do not have a programmable thermostat, simply remember to turn down the temperature before going to bed and before leaving the house.

Fireplace

Buy or use only seasoned wood, wood that has been allowed to dry out; fresh cut wood is too moist to burn properly.

To reduce heat loss from the fireplace: Open dampers in the bottom of the firebox, slightly open the nearest window, close doors leading to the room with your fireplace, and lower the thermostat between 50 and 55 degrees when the fire is lit.

Close dampers when the fireplace is not in use.

To give your home a Virtual Home Energy Audit log onto: www.energysmarthome.com.au http://www.energysmarthome.com.au/ or for more energy saving tips please contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County at 255-1183.

Renee Jensen is a Community Educator of Environmental Issues for Cornell Cooperative Extension of Cayuga County