Saving you on your home energy bill!

I live in a house and it gets expensive in the winter here in Wisconsin. It just seems like everything just keeps going up and up. It isn't cheap to live anymore. One of the things that can help you out is doing things to save on energy bills. You can set your thermostat on a lower setting and that will save, I have mine on 66 but you could have it on 68 and it wouldn't be so bad. Make sure you check and change your furnace filters, We checked this filter and it was really plugged and nasty! Just remember that every little thing will help! Use compact fluorescent light bulbs! Don't use your dish washers drying cycle, just let them air dry. Turn off your computer when your not using it. Use a power strip so you can turn it off when you are not using the electronics, they are still taking power unless the power is cut to them. Products that have the Energy Star label really help a lot. Check all your insulation in your home and make sure that it is doing its job right. You may need to replace it or put some in if it doesn't have any. Look for any holes or cracks or anyway to let air out of your home. Make sure your fireplace dampers are closed unless your using them of course. You may want to get some sensor that will turn the lights off when their is no one in the room. The best places to add insulation to your home are Crawl space, Attic, Basement, Walls, and the floor. A tip to help find a air leak is to light a incense on a windy day and if the smoke travels horizontally, their is an air leak around the area your testing. These areas may leak air and it costs you lots of money if they leak:
Dropped ceiling
Water heater and furnace flues
Window frames
Recessed light
All ducts
Electrical outlets and switches
Attic entrance
Door frames
Plumbing and utility access
Sill plates
Chimney flashing
You may to install caulk or weatherstripping. It may just be a good idea to change the weather stripping on the doors every so often. Double pane windows will really help also. Make sure you do not leave kitchen or bathroom fans on for extended amounts of time, this will let all of the heat out of the house. Keep blinds open on the south facing windows in the day time to let the sun heat your home. I recommend investing in a pellet stove, these stoves are awesome and they work automatically, all you have to do is fill the hopper with pellets!!!!!! This will save you lots of money. Turn down you water heater if you can. I hope these tips help you!!!!