Energy-saving Tips

The price of heating oil these days could be worth more than its weight in gold.

With this in mind, there are some energy saving measures you can take to hopefully save money this winter.

If you were able to prepay for your oil, that was the best measure with the per gallon cost at $2.79 according to the local oil companies. However, this is a large amount to pay at once and many of us don't have that kind of change hanging around.

If you locked into a pre-pay rate and could not pay ahead of time, price per gallon could be as much as $2.89. If you had the misfortune of not being able to take advantage of either of these, oil is now over $3.00 per gallon.

In this new oil crisis, here are some simple steps you may want to take:

Turn your thermostats to 65 degrees. Wear sweaters and housecoats along with slippers. The days of wearing shorts around the house in the winter should be over.

If you do not have new windows or storm windows, wrap your windows with a plastic thermal covering that prevents cold drafts and air from entering your home.

Get small rugs or draft stops to put by exterior doors. This will help. Also, for sliding glass doors, you may want to hang draperies.

Limit the amount of fires you have in an open fireplace as that sucks hot air out of a room. Always remember to shut the damper once the fire is completely out the next day.

With these helpful tips, you may be able to tip the scales on your home heating expense this winter.