Heating season has arrived, and while we all look to cut down on our utility bills, there are some ideas for lowering heating costs that are not as efficient as you might think.

• If you keep your indoor thermostat set at a constant level, rather than with a programmable thermostat, you could be using anywhere from 5% to 15% more heat.  Even though your furnace will need to cycle more when you raise the temperature back up, lowering the temperature during the day and overnight offers a significant potential energy savings.
• IF you've lowered your themostat while you're out, don't be tempted to crank it up all the way to BLAST when you get home.  Furnaces have a maximum capacity for heat output, and will only heat as fast as it will heat.  Raising the temperature higher than you need to, will most likely overheat your home...causing you to waste energy.
• If you close off vents in unused rooms, be sure not to close off more than 10% of the vents.  Closing more than that can change the air pressure in the house, causing your furnace to work inefficiently.
• In replacing your furnace, bigger isn't always better.  Choosing an efficient furnace along with the correct size for your home is far more important.