Winter is here, but it’s not too late to make sure you, and your home, are ready for the upcoming months. Here are some easy winterization tips to make this your best winter ever.

• Statistics show that wearing a light sweater can save 1-2 percent off your heating bills, and a heavy one can save 3-4 percent. Bundle up, turn your thermostat down and be prepared to receive a lower heating bill.

• Use your programmable thermostat to your advantage. Schedule it to turn down when you aren’t home, and turn back up right before you usually arrive. It’s a good idea to even turn it down at night and sleep with an extra blanket.

• A space heater is a great way to heat only the areas of your home you use the most. Just make sure they are not left on, plugged in, or anywhere near children or pets, who can get hurt. Fortunately, heaters come with temperature gauges, automatic shut-off, and other safety features.

• Changing the filter in your furnace is important to keep it running at its best all year round; it also keeps your air clean. It is recommended that you change the filter every one to two months. Stick with the inexpensive filters because they are often thinner, meaning your furnace won’t have to work as hard. One recommended brand is Easy Flow.

• Change the direction of your ceiling fan, which will push warm air down from the ceiling. If you’re looking up, the blades of your fan should be turning clockwise.

• Empty your water line to the outside faucets so this water does not freeze and burst your pipes.

• Turn your hot water heater down a bit. It saves money on heating costs, and you don’t need water that is 140 degrees, anyway.

• Do work now to prevent damage later. Some examples of annual work you may want to consider are duct cleaning and maintenance, furnace tune-up, chimney inspection and cleaning, repairing air leaks and gaps, insulation for pipes and attic, gutter cleaning and trimming of branches that may harm your home. Some upgrades in your home may qualify for tax credits, as well.

• Buy energy efficient window treatments, which keep warm air in and cold air out. They also allow you to rely more on natural light and less on your thermostat. We can also provide PowerRise blinds, which work with the Platinum App. Contact us to find out more and start saving today!