If your wallet is already flinching in anticipation of the heavy blow of heating a home through the winter, you are probably looking for ways to keep your energy bill as low as possible. Of course, the most important contributors to winter energy savings are good insulation and an energy-efficient heating system. However, there are several subtler tricks you can apply for substantial savings in both money and energy. Here are a few:

• Program a thermostat. Generally speaking, machines are better than humans at regularly remembering to follow schedules. Installing a programmable thermostat will help you ensure that the house is not being heated at unnecessary times, such as when you're at work or sleeping. Programming the thermostat to lower during these times will lead to significant savings on heat.
• Use windows to your advantage. To turn your windows from a major site of energy loss into a source of energy savings, the key is to add insulation while still letting in light. After caulking around the window frame, apply a clear plastic sheet to the window, sealing carefully around the edges (a hair dryer can be used to slightly melt the plastic and attach it to the frame). The plastic will let in light and heat from the sun, then guard against the heat escaping. This strategy can lead to savings of 2 to 12 percent.
• Your biggest fan. It may seem counterintuitive, but if you have high ceilings, turning your fans on low during the winter months can actually help push the warm air that rises to the top back down, making the room feel warmer. On the other hand, reduce your use of exhaust fans, which can suck warm air out of the home. 

In order to tell whether you're actually saving energy, you'll need a baseline to work from. Contact Alban Inspections today to schedule an energy audit.