GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) -- Colder temperatures are sure to settle in this winter. Wisconsin Public Service is offering up some simple tips to help save money this season.
Several things you can do to preserve energy, costs very little or nothing at all.
The first thing recommended by WPS is to have a professional inspection or tuneup of your furnace or home heating system.
"It allows your heating system to run as efficiently as possible," said Matt Cullen, a spokesman with WPS.
This will catch any problems so you don't have issues later on in the winter when things get even colder.
Set your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees when you are sleeping or not home.
WPS says a recommended temperature setting for the winter months is 68 degrees.
"That allows for your home to remain comfortable while managing those energy costs and using your energy as efficiently as possible," said Cullen.
Holiday lights are another place you can save money.
Change out any strands of traditional incandescent lights to LED lights.
"Those are much more efficient," said Cullen. "They're up to 90 percent more efficient in using energy than those traditional incandescent strands."
You can also put your lights on a timer so they turn off automatically during the day or in the late hours when folks are sleeping.
When cooking holiday dishes, match your pots and pans to a similar size burner on your stove.
If you're making cookies this Christmas, check if they're done by turning on the oven light instead of opening the door.
Both of these tricks will keep the heat where it belongs and conserve energy.
Power strips are another way to manage energy costs because electronics can suck energy even when they are turned off. This is called 'phantom power drain.'
Open shades during the day to utilize heat from the sunshine and caulk or weather strip your windows and doors so that precious heat doesn't leak out into the cold.
WPS offers a budget billing program where you can disperse your monthly payments out over the course of the year. This way you can avoid spikes in energy bills during the winter months.
