With the colder season bearing down on us, there is a trend of people trying to devise a way to lower their heating bill this winter/cold season. The way to lower heating bills is to use less heating fuel. For most, this means use the furnace less.

But how do you use the furnace less without feeling cold around the house? Turning down the thermostat obviously uses less fuel (sometimes) because the furnace runs less. But that isn’t always practical, because it may leave you feeling cold. And uncomfortable.

Lets examine fireplaces and if they save energy.

Summer is winding down, and the seasons aren’t the only thing in transition. Your energy bills are about to change too. For those of us with cold winters, the nights will get chilly and soon the leaves will be falling. For those in warmer climates, well, you’ll be experiencing a more pleasant transformation, where you’ll see your air conditioner usage decline and your energy bills go down somewhat dramatically.
No matter where you live, a change in season means a change in your energy usage. Since the biggest change right now …

When you are buying a new home, here are some things to look for to ensure you keep your energy bills low:

Look for energy efficient appliances. Most of the time they will still have the energy guide sticker on them. Check the efficiency and relative costs.
Check the age and condition of the delivery ducts and vents
Ask what the last HVAC job was. If someone installed central air or a new furnace after the home was built, there is an excellent chance the installer did due diligence and inspected the house …

There’s a few things to consider here. On the surface, and as a general rule, you should avoid turning up the thermostat. The reason is relatively simple – you will be pumping natural gas (or whatever your fuel) into a unit that consumes a relatively large amount of fuel to heat a large area. If you are in every room of your house, this is by far the most efficient solution.
But I’m going to assume that you are not in all the rooms of your house, at least at the …