1.    The most obvious is put on a sweater. Such clothing does have a purpose other than style. The sweater will retain body heat which will allow you to keep your thermostat lower, about 2 degrees. By just putting on a sweater you can lower your heating cost about 5% over a 24-hour period. This is a significant amount of savings over the complete winter season.

2.    Install a programmable thermostat. These are inexpensive and easy to install yourself. They permit you to fine-tune the operation of your heating system so that you don’t waste energy by running the system when heat isn’t required. You can set a programmable thermostat to turn the heat down to 61 degrees while you sleep and bring it up to 68 degrees a few minutes before you awaken, lower it when you leave for work, and turn it to a comfortable level just before you come home. Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the most effective steps you can take to lower your heat cost. Frequently we get busy and in a rush and forget about turning the heat down before leaving the house. The programmable thermostat will do it for you.   

3.    Close doors to unused rooms. Leave doors open between heated rooms, but close doors to rooms that can be left unheated. It there is a separate thermostat in the unused room shut it off. If your heating system is a hot air system close the register in the unused room.

4.    If your heating system is a hot air system replace filters with new ones so that air flows through the system without restriction. A filter for most hot air systems cost about a $1.00 and should be changed every thirty days during the heating season. Have your boiler or furnace cleaned once a year to keep if operating efficiently.

5.    Do not over use exhaust fans in bathrooms, utility room, and kitchen. When you need to expel the air from these rooms, do so. But then turn the fans off so that they don’t exhaust expensively heated room air.

6.    Open drapes or shades that allow direct sunlight to stream in through windows on the south- and west-facing sides of the house if you live in the northern hemisphere. At night time or when the sun does not shine in, leave drapes closed to minimize heat loss through windows.  

7.    Prune trees and large bushes that block the direct sun light during the heating season.

8.    Insure all windows, doors, and skylights are tightly sealed shut. Close fireplace dampers to prevent heat from venting up the chimney. If your windows and doors are drafty install cocking or weather stripping.