During the frigid winter months, heating bills in many homes often go through the roof. Here are some tips to reduce your heating bills and keep your fireplace running at it’s best

Reduce Cold Drafts into Your Home

Caulk around window frames, door frames and any other seams on the outside of the house to seal them. This also saves money year-round as moisture can seep in and cause some serious damage to your walls. Make sure your attic hatch is sealed and locked down by a couple of small hooks.

Don’t Waste Warm Air on Your Ceiling

Switch ceiling fans over to the opposite way of turning (most fans will have a switch at the top or around the base) this way of turning pulls down warm air from the ceiling to keep it circulating instead of sitting near the ceiling. With a strategically located fan this can also be used to pull heat from what area of the house to another. Heat is great, but if you don’t have a fan to move that heat to where you need it, heat will naturally pool near your ceiling and lead to that uncomfortable situation of having a warm forehead and cold feet!

Maintain your Heating System

Make sure to keep your heating system well-maintained. If properly maintained heaters will be safer, work more efficiently and last longer. A properly maintained heating system can also save the life of the occupants of the house. When a heater malfunctions it can increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning and fire. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commissions around 6,000 fires and $47 million in damaged property annually are linked to an poorly maintained heating systems, including fireplaces, furnaces, boilers and even hot water tanks.

If you have a guest bedroom or some other room not being used for long stretches of time, remember to close the vents to those rooms. This will help redirect the flow to areas where you need it maintained.

Let in some light

Open blinds on south-facing windows during the day to let in the sun. Close them in the evening to add a bit more insulation.

Use rugs on bare floors

Bare floors can become cold in the morning and at night, especially during the winter season. An area rug helps to keep your feet warmer.