Yes the cold winter months are right around the corner for us in central Illinois. While some of you may be excited about the prospect of snow for outdoor winter activities, other folks may be reminded of winter heating costs in their home. If you are in the later group, there are several things you can do to reduce those winter fuel bills.

In your home, over half of the energy expenses come from heating and cooling. If you have a low efficiency furnace replacing it with a high efficiency model will certainly save energy and money this winter.

If replacement of your furnace doesn't fit the home budget this fall, there are other ways to reduce your winter fuel costs. A programmable thermostat on a new or older system will use less energy while the family is away at school and work. You can save up to 10% of your heating and cooling costs by turning back your thermostat 10 to 15 % for 8 hours during the day, all done automatically by a programmable thermostat.

There are also other low cost ways to reduce energy consumption. First, replace your furnace air filter once a month, as this will keep the system operating efficiently and reduce operating costs. Another inexpensive home energy saving technique is to seal air spaces around windows and doors. Caulking and weather stripping materials are easy to install and are paid for quickly by the energy savings in heating your home.

Another energy saving technique is to add insulation to your home or replace single pane windows with multi-pane windows. These projects may be more expensive initially, but over time these improvements will also be paid by the realized energy conservation they provide.

If window replacement is not in the budget, use window blinds to your advantage. Close the window blinds at night in the winter to reduce the cooling effect of a single pain window. In addition, take advantage of the sun's radiant energy on south facing windows by keeping blinds open during the day.

There are other simple ways you can reduce electrical use like turning off lights when leaving a room or placing lamps on timers. Televisions and computers are big consumers of electricity, so turn them off when not being used. A clean refrigerator operates more efficiently, so clean the dust off of the compressor and coils periodically.

Compact fluorescent bulbs, CFLs, offer another opportunity for you to save energy and money in the long run. These CFLs use only ¼ of the electricity of standard incandescent bulbs. Although the CFL bulb cost more initially, the 4.5 year lifetime savings of the bulb compared to a standard incandescent is approximately $60.00.

An energy audit of your home can help you determine other ways to save energy and money. Your utility company may offer help in conducting an energy audit, or you can conduct your own energy audit. You can get started today by visiting the Home Energy Saver website at http://hes.lbl.gov/hes/vh.shtml. This website helps you analyze your home energy use through a series of questions and then offers ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

Energy conservation makes dollar and cents for you and it makes sense for the environment by conserving fossil fuels. If you have questions about energy conservation contact the University of Illinois Coles Extension Unit at 345-7034.