from Ledger-Enquirer.com

• Look for drafty places on your house. Seal up cracks around doors, windows and electrical outlets on outside walls. Use draft dodgers to block incoming cold air.

• Add insulation as needed in walls, ceiling, attic and crawl space.

• Layer windows using shades, blinds or curtains. Add thermal liners to curtains. Close shades and curtains at night and open them during the day.

• Install storm windows or use plastic window insulating kits. Replace old windows with low-e (or low emissivity windows).

By Christopher Solomon

The unrelenting rise in oil and natural gas prices is about to run headlong into the steady approach of winter. Oil prices have roared to fresh record highs each time the U.S. government reported another fall in heating fuel stocks ahead of winter. World prices have surged on fears that the United States is running out of time to build winter fuel supplies.

The Energy Information Administration forecasts that households in the Midwest could spend 71% more this winter for natural gas and 40% more for propane than last winter; those in the Northeast that use heating oil could spend 33% more; and Southern households could see a 17% rise in their electricity bills. Nationwide, we’ll see an overall increase of 24% in winter heat bills, the EIA forecasts.

Contact: John Millett, 202-564-4355 / millett.john@epa.gov

(Washington, D.C.-Oct. 20, 2005) In the face of higher energy bills this
winter, EPA encourages everyone to take action in their home to be more
energy efficient. EPA recommends five places to look and practical
advice for home energy savings: sealing and insulating; heating
efficiently; changing lights; powering down home electronics; and
looking for the Energy Star on new products.

"With cold weather around the corner and President Bush's call to
conserve, small actions -- like changing a lightbulb or
weather-stripping the windows -- can benefit our wallets and our

Source Owens Corning

TOLEDO, Ohio. According to a report released today by the Energy Information Administration, the statistical agency of the U.S.
Department of Energy, 55 million U.S. homes heated with natural gas can expect heating costs to rise as much as 61 percent this winter. Owens Corning is helping homeowners reduce the impact of rising energy prices through education about simple home-improvement projects that can play an important role in keeping families warmer and utility bills lower during the coming winter months.

Even the simplest measures can produce significant savings.

• One of the cheapest energy efficient moves is replacing old light bulbs with low energy ones.
• Another cheap way to cut bills is by stopping draughts under skirting boards and gaps in doors and windows.
• If you have had the same boiler for more than 15 years you should change it to an energy-efficient one. Condensing boilers are the most efficient and could save you around a third on your heating bills.
• You could save even more if you upgrade to modern controls so you can set the temperature on each radiator independently.

Energystar provides the following advice for saving energy:

• Replace your air filters once a month and have a contractor do annual preseason checkups on your heating system.
• Make sure all gaps and cracks, including outer walls, ceilings, windows and floors, are insulated.
• Programmable thermostats can regulate your home's temperature to use less energy when you are away.

Source: Сitizen-times.com

By Paul Clark

ASHEVILLE - With Asheville prices in the $2.50-a-gallon range, heating oil is going to cost over a $1 more per gallon than last winter, local fuel oil companies say.

Though homeowners can't do much about the price of fuel oil and natural gas, they can do something about how tightly their homes hold onto the heat they produce. Procedures range from the cheap (a $2 furnace filter) to the expensive (vinyl siding). But all pay off in the long run, by conserving energy and increasing the efficiency of both the structure and the devices that keep it - and you - warm.

Source: ENERGY STAR

1. Study up - Find out about license and insurance requirements for contractors in your state. And before you call a contractor, know the model of your current system and its maintenance history. Also make note of any uncomfortable rooms. This will help potential contractors better understand your heating needs.

2. Consider certified professionals - Look for a contractor who employs technicians certified by Source: NATE (North American Technician Excellence) , the leading industry-supported testing and certification program.

Source Partnerships for HOME ENERGY EFFICIENCY

Individuals can take many simple steps today to help make their homes more energy efficient:

• Replace incandescent bulbs with lights that have earned the ENERGY STAR®.
• Use a programmable thermostat with air conditioners to adjust the setting warmer at night, or when no one is home.
• Use a fan with window air conditioners to spread cool air through a home.
• Use an energy-efficient ENERGY STAR® air conditioner, which can save up to 50 percent on cooling bills.