11 ways to cut your heating costs:

1. Turn it down. During the heating season, turn down the thermostat to 60 degrees if you are going to be away for more than 7 hours. Keep the thermostat set at 68 degrees while you are home. Bundle up! If you are elderly or have a small child, you need to keep your home warmer while you are there.
2. Close those curtains. Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed on blustery days to reduce heat loss.
3. Autumn leaves are falling. After raking and bundling your leaves and pine needles into bags this fall, place them against your foundation for extra insulation.
4. Wise Shrubbery. Choose greenery that retain their needles during the winter and plant them near your home to provide protection from the wind.
5. Change it! Be sure to change your furnace filters every other month.
6. Inspect & Clean. Once a year, have your oil furnace cleaned and inspected. Every other year, clean your propane gas furnace.
7. Draft Dodge. Check your doors to see if there are drafts coming in on the sides. If so, put some weather stripping on the sides and bottom until you can’t see light or feel a draft.
8. Add a Layer. Consider adding a layer of plastic to your windows (if not double-paned) for the winter.
9. Storm the doors! Add storm doors to all outside doors to lower the leaking heat.
10. Control Draft. Make sure your woodstove or fireplace draft controls are closed when your woodstove or fireplace is not operating.
11. Safety First. Clean your woodstove chimney at least once a year to prevent creosote buildup.

16 Ways to reduce your electric bill:

1. Turn them off. Turn off your lights when you leave a room. Unplug appliances when you are finished using them.
2. Power Strip. If you own “instant on” electronics such as TVs, VCRs, DVDs, computers, clocks or radios, plug them into a power strip so you can turn them off completely when you are not using them. “Instant on” uses 7 to 10% of electricity.
3. Turn it down. Did you know your electric hot water heater can be turned down to 120 degrees? It can, but no lower. Also, if your hot water heater is over 6 years old, wrap it with water heater wrap to conserve heat; newer heaters have sufficient insulation.
4. Compact lighting. Replace those blown bulbs with compact fluorescent (cfl) ones.
5. Bundle up! By turning down your thermostat at night time, your furnace’s electric motor won’t need to run as often.
6. Do you AC? If you own an air conditioner, run it as little as possible to lower your electric bill.
7. Fan it. During hot spells, try using fans instead of, or in addition to, an air conditioner. Wear cool clothes and drink plenty of water.
8. Turn it Up. When using your air conditioner, turn it up to over 82 degrees if you are going to be away for more than 7 hours. When residence is occupied by the elderly or with young children you may need to keep it cooler in summer to avoid these “at risk” groups being too warm.
9. Embrace Maine Air. Most nights, turn your air conditioner off and enjoy the cool summer breeze.
10. Keep them closed. On hot and humid days keep your curtains, shades or blinds closed.
11. Power Down. Turn off your computer when you don’t plan on using it for more than four hours.
12. Wash Sparingly. Be sure to wash your clothes only when you have a full load, use warm or cold water.
13. The Dish. Wash your dishes in the dishwasher only when you have a full load.
14. Plan Ahead. Make more than one meal at a time such as soup or casseroles. Freeze the additional portions in separate containers for future meals. Saves “personal energy.”
15. Dry them. Hang clothes on the line outside in the spring, summer and fall--do the same inside during the winter months.
16. Air Dry. Dry your hair in the breeze rather than with a dryer.