Prepare your house for winter

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, heating accounts for almost half of the average family's winter energy bill, making it by far the largest energy expense for most homes. The following are a few tips to assist in combating the cost of heating your home:

+Inspect areas around windows and doors, gaps along baseboards, mail chutes, and entry points for power lines, ducts and vents for air infiltration. If a draft is present, use a caulk and/or weather stripping to seal the areas. This simple effort will alleviate the potential for heat loss and can help reduce heating bills by as much as 10 percent.

+Purchase a do-it-yourself window insulation kit to add an additional barrier to your homewinterization program. Most insulation kits consist of a clear

film and doublesided installation tapes. With the heat of a hair dryer, you can create a tight, transparent barrier between the window and the inside of your house, keeping the heat in and the cold out.

+Install fire-retardant socket sealers behind electrical sockets located on walls making up the perimeter of your home. Don't forget to check for worn doorstops at the bottom of doors, too. You want to be sure that you seal as many areas of your home as possible.

+Hire a heating professional to inspect your home's system before winter arrives. The professional will advise you of what needs to be done to maximize your heating system's efficiency, including tactics such as vacuuming vents and other heating components and replacing filters.

+Check to make sure your attic, crawl spaces, exterior and basement walls, ceilings and floors are insulated to the proper levels. Visit a home center to learn about recommended adequate insulation levels and then go home and measure. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if your home is properly insulated, you can save nearly 30 percent on home energy bills.

+Have your chimney cleaned and inspected. You can lose a great deal of heat and money through your chimney, especially if your damper doesn't operate properly.

By conducting a homewinterization program, you'll be warmer and you'll be able to say you've kept Old Man Winter out of your home and your wallet.

This story provided by North American Precis Syndicate Inc.