TIMELY TIPS: We have heard some really frightening news about
the coming winter. No, it’s not about the weather – which no doubt
will be bad enough – but that heating costs are expected to rise
dramatically.

Some reports have said they could go up as much as 70 percent.
Gulp! … Especially for residents on a fixed income already
struggling with higher gasoline prices, tax hikes, and other costs
affiliated with simple day to day living.

With that sad story, we pass along some information that may
help you get started now on conserving energy and, thus, whittling
down those energy bill.

Dennis Buffington, professor of agricultural and biological
engineering in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State,
says, “The cheapest energy is the energy we don’t use because we
have adopted conservation measures and become more efficient in our
consumption.”

Here are his tips:

– Make sure your house is well-insulated. “A house that was
considered to be well-insulated in 1970, when energy prices were
perhaps one-tenth of what they are now, would not be considered a
well-insulated house today.” Buffington says homeowners should
install – or have a contractor install – additional ceiling, wall
and attic insulation, where possible.

– Check your windows and doors. “Drafty or single-pane windows
can cause a lot of heat loss,” says Buffington. “Use weather
stripping or caulk to seal cracks or openings, and if you don’t
have storm windows, have them installed. If your windows are older
or in poor condition, consider replacing them with new,
energy-efficient windows.”

– Turn your thermostat down. Buffington recommends reducing the
temperature on your thermostat at night and when you’ll be out of
the house for an extended period of time. Wear sweaters or
sweatshirts in order to keep the temperature in your home a few
degrees lower.

– Turn off lights when not in use, and where possible, replace
incandescent bulbs with fluorescent fixtures. “The average home
uses about 20 percent of its electricity for lighting,” says
Buffington. “If a light is used for more than three hours per day,
consider compact fluorescent bulbs. They cost more, but they use
only one-fourth of the electricity for the same amount of light,
and they last about 10 times longer.”

– When buying new appliances, look for the Energy Star label,
indicating that the appliance meets strict criteria for energy
efficiency.