Turn the thermostat down

Saving energy during the winter doesn’t have to mean feeling cold in your own home. Here are five free ways to lower your energy bill while staying comfortable indoors. 

• Lower the temperature in your home by just a single degree. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates you can save 3% on your heating bill for every degree you set your thermostat back during the winter—as long as you leave it there.  
• Turn off exhaust fans in the kitchen and bathroom as soon as the steam or cooking smells are gone. It takes only one hour for those fans to blow all of the warm air out of your house, so use them only as needed. 
• Close the fireplace damper when you’re not burning a fire. An open damper is a hole in your house that sucks heated air out and draws cold winter air in. 
• Move furniture and rugs away from heating vents so air can circulate freely around the room. That will make your heating system’s work a lot easier. 
• Open the curtains on south-facing windows on sunny days so the sun’s warm rays can radiate into your home. Close the curtains at night to help trap that heat indoors.