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Act Now,
Save Money on Your Winter Heating Bills 15 Things to do Now to Winterize Your Home 1. Contact your utility to see how to qualify for rebates on purchases of energy efficient items. 2. Caulk or weatherstrip windows and doors to prevent heat loss. 3. Install a programable thermostat to automatically drop to a lower temperature at night and at times when you are away from your house. 4. Tape a sheet of aluminum foil (shiny side out) to the wall behind radiators; this will help make them more efficient. 5. Insulate your attic, walls, basement, and crawl space. 6. Install storm windows and doors to help keep out drafts. 7. Move chairs and beds away from exterior walls; these are usually the coldest walls in the house and make sure warm-air registers are not blocked by furniture, carpeting or drapes. 8. Install aerating, low-flow faucets and shower heads to save hot water. 9. Lower the thermostat on your water heater. Factory settings may be higher than necessary. A setting of 120 degrees provides comfortable hot water for most uses and can save on water heating costs. 10. Insulate the first 6 feet of hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater to avoid heat loss. 11. Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater. 12. Clean and replace filters on your furnace once a month or as needed to permit better air flow through the house. 13. Clean warm-air registers, baseboard heaters, and radiators. 14. Keep the damper closed when your fireplace is not in use to keep warm air in. 15. Keep the draperies and shades on windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home.
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