Although the days have been warmer here in Maryland, they are slowly becoming chillier as we near Christmas. If you are concerned about cranking up the heat because of the increase in your electric bill, check out our easy tips for reducing your energy costs.
Adjust your thermostat at night or during the day when you are away from you home. You can save about 10 percent per year on your heating bills by turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day, according to the US Department of Energy.
Keep your furnace clean and unblocked. Check your furnace filter regularly and replace it 
when it gets dirty. A dirty filter makes your furnace or heat pump work harder, and leads to higher energy bills.
Plastic wrap your windows. Drafty windows can be major culprits of heat loss, but can easily be fixed by covering them with plastic. DIY window insulation kits start as low as $12 and can even be found at local stores like Target.
Hang thermal curtains. Invest in curtains with thermal lining that will block heat and UV in the summer and keep cold air out in the Winter.
Reverse the ceiling fan. Most ceiling fans have a switch you can flip that will change the direction the fan blades are rotating. This will push hot air that has risen to the ceiling back down into the room.
Decorate for warmth. Put flannel sheets on your bed, warm rugs on your floors and extra throw blankets on the sofas.
Take advantage of free solar heating. Open curtains during the day to allow the sun to warm your home; close curtains at night to trap in the heat.
Close the damper. Sometimes overlooked this can be a major culprit in heat loss. Keep the damper closed when your fireplace isn’t in use to prevent warm air escaping.