Think Outside The Box: Keep Heating Costs Low

We may not be able to control the sky-rocketing cost of heating our homes, but we can control how much money we choose to waste every year heating it. Every winter day, money is lost through drafty windows, improperly insulated attics, leaky plumbing, and unnecessarily high thermostat temperature settings. Use these tips and resources to maintain keeping you and your family warm and comfortable while closing that draft in your wallet. Quick tips:

• Take short showers.
• Wash your clothes in cold water.
• Bundle up a bit and turn down the temperature.
• Close doors to rooms you don't need to heat.
• Open the blinds and curtains (use polar fleece for curtains) on the sunny side of the house when the sun is shining, close them once the sun moves.

For more money-saving tips and advice, check out the following sites:

• About.com: Save Money on Heating Costs Simple and straight-forward ways to save money on your winter heating costs.
• The Home Energy Saver Audit Tool Developed by the Environmental Energy Technologies Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
• Ask the Builder: Home Heating Programmable thermostats - the smartest and most cost-effective way of minimizing heating costs.
• Good Housekeeping: Cut Your Heating Costs and Save Money This Winter Space heaters heat just the area you're using.

Insulation - It's pink, but it can save you green

• Ask the Builder: How Does Insulation Work A quick primer on insulation.
• DIY Netowrk: Insulation Basics Radiation, Convection, Conduction - the three principles of heat generation.
• Hometips.com: Insulation From buying guides to detailed DIY projects, Don Vandervort has you covered, literally!
• Department of Energy - Insulation Fact Sheet One of the most comprehensive insulation guides you can find. Your tax dollars paid for this information, so use it!