It's starting to get colder as the year is coming to a close. It seems that fuel costs are on the rise again. Here are some tips that I will use this winter and try to continue through out the new year.

The first tip is to turn off lights when they are not in use. I am not telling you to live by candle light. What I am telling you is when you leave a room, even for a few minutes, simply turn the lights off. Fifteen percent of a typical residential utility bill is from lighting. For safety reasons, you can have a light on a timer so when you aren't home, it still looks like someone is home.

The fourth tip is to keep your refrigerator clean. Most of the new models have a water tray near the bottom that should be checked and emptied whenever it gets any water in it. The coils on the back of the refrigerator should be cleaned weekly. Gently brush away dirt and dust from the exposed tubes at the back of your refrigerator, and make sure it has breathing room. Also, check the seals on the doors to make sure they are tight. If you can put a dollar bill in the door and pull it out after it is closed, you probably need new seals. Keeping your refrigerator full will make it operate more efficiently. An empty refrigerator is a terrible waste of energy. Filling the unused space in your fridge and freezer with plastic water jugs will minimize the loss of cold air when the doors are opened or closed and will keep your food chilled during a power outage.

The second tip is to adjust your thrermostat. Lower your thermostat temperature to the lowest temperature that is comfortable for you. For every degree you lower your thermostat in the winter, you can save as much as 3% on energy costs over a 24 hour period. You can purchase a programable thermostat for around $40.00 from a home improvement store.

Tips number three is about your water heater and exposed pipes. The first thing that you need to check is the water temperature. It should be set to 120 degrees and not any higher. If your water heater is an older model, then you can get a specially made blanket. I use one from the local home improvement store, it looks like fiberglass insulation with a plastic backing. Next you should wrap your exposed water pipes. When they are insulated, there is less heat loss and your water heater doesn't have to work as hard. Again check your local home improvement store for pipe wrapping. Some time once a year, you should drain one gallon of water from your water heater. This removes sediment that accumulates on the bottom of the tank. Failure to remove this sediment may cause leaks to develop. Lastly you can install a low flow shower head. They reduce water flow without being noticeable.

The fifth and final tip has to so with your light blubs. Ninety-five percent of the energy used by incandescent bulbs go to heating the bulb. I recommend changing your incandescent bulbs to Energy Star compact fluorescent bulbs and save between $50.00 and $60.00 per year on your electric bill. These bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 12 times longer.