Tips for Relieving Winter Heating Bill Sticker Shock - KXNet - Bismarck/Minot/Williston/Dickinson

     There seems to be no remedy for Winter sticker shock that comes with increased heating bills, but there are a few things you can do to conserve energy and lower your bill.

     According to Mark Hanson of Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. (MDU), during the heating season alone, your furnace uses about as much energy as your car does in an entire year.  Hanson says a furnace tune-up, including a new filter, helps -- so does installing a programmable thermostat that can be set back while you're sleeping or at work. 

"On average, if you set it back one degree, it'll save one percent on your bill, if you're doing that over an eight hour period," says Hanson.  "So depending on how far you want to set that back, you can realize some pretty good savings over the course of a heating season."

     Other ways to conserve energy and lower your bill include monitoring your furnace vent and fresh-air intake to ensure they're not obstructed by snow or debris.  Another tip -- if you heat with natural gas, the flame should be blue, not yellow or orange, which signals inefficiency.

     For more energy-saving tips, visit www.energystar.gov.