As the temperatures begin – or continue – to dip, it’s important to make sure not only you are ready for winter, but also your home.  We’ve created a list of tips for winterizing your home and keeping the energy bill down.  If you follow it, you’ll hopefully have some more spending money for the holiday season.

1. The first no-brainer is to turn down your thermostat when you’re out of the house.  You can either do that manually each day, or purchase a programmable thermostat that you can set to make sure the house is back to your preferred temperature when you get home.
2. Install low-flow shower heads to reduce hot water waste.
3. Check your windows, doors, and any other holes (think cables, vents, etc) for drafts and use caulk or weatherstripping to seal them.  You can use incense, long matches, or anything that will create smoke to check for the air movement caused by leaks.
4. Seal leaking ducts with metal tape.  You can hire a vendor to check for leaks and seal these if you think it might be too hard to do yourself.
5. Close any dampers connected to stoves or fireplaces when not in use.
6. Check your insulation in your attic, exterior walls, and crawl space (if you have one).  If there are spaces lacking insulation, or lacking sufficient insulation, it’s time to consider beefing it up.
7. If you don’t have newer, energy-efficient windows, install a plastic film (available for purchase at most home improvement stores) on the inside of all windows.  This will help not only keep the cool out in the winter, but also help regulate heat in the summer.
8. Change your furnace filter, if you don’t already do it regularly.
9. Check fixtures and appliances to ensure that they are as efficient as possible.
10. We know you love holiday lights, but try to keep the usage to a minimum.  You’d be amazed how much energy they use.