In the summer, set the thermostat between 76 and 78 degrees when you are home. In the winter, set your thermostat at 68 degrees and lower it two or three degrees when you’re going to be gone for several hours.

Use a ceiling fan to regulate the “feels like” temperature in your home instead of adjusting your thermostat. Just remember to turn it off when you leave the room. A ceiling fan should rotate counterclockwise in the summer. Use the lowest speed and reverse the direction the blades turn to clockwise in the winter.

One of the easiest ways to save on your heating bill is to turn the thermostat down and throw an extra blanket on the bed at night, or bundle up with a cozy sweater and warm socks. A programmable thermostat can make it easy to keep your house at the recommended seasonal temperature when you’re at home, while automatically adjusting the thermostat to turn up or down a few degrees when you leave or go to sleep.

Regardless of the season, the smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the lower your heating and cooling costs will be.

In the summer, close curtains and blinds on the sunny side of your home to block out heat. Open them on the shady side for a free light source. In the winter, keep blinds open during the day to let direct sunlight generate warmth. Close them at night to hold in the heat.

Check each window to ensure there is no missing glass, rotting wood or broken parts. Use caulk or weather stripping to seal leaky windows and exterior doors. If you can see light around your door threshold or feel cold air seeping through your windows, you’re losing energy and reducing the comfort level of your home.

If your windows are in fairly good condition, attaching low-e storm windows can boost energy efficiency at about a quarter of the cost of a total replacement. Storm windows reduce air infiltration, whether they are coated or not. However, low-e coating, a nearly invisible layer on the glass, can improve overall energy savings 10-15 percent more than standard storm windows.

Typically, storm windows should be custom ordered to fit your existing windows. They are available at both independent window dealers and big-box retailers. Modern storm windows can be left in place year-round, and insect screens means you can open your windows without letting in unwanted pests.

If storm windows aren’t an option, try applying heat shrink film, which looks like a thicker version of plastic wrap. Sheets of the film can be cut to size and attached to the inside of the window frame with double-sided tape. Use a hair dryer to shrink the film to provide a better seal around the window.

Bonus cold weather tips: keep your garage door closed as much as possible to help keep cold air out of your house. When you shower, consider leaving the bathroom door open so steam spreads to other rooms but don’t use the ventilation fan. It will remove the warm air you’re hoping to keep in the house.

After your HVAC system, the water heater is typically the second largest component of your energy bill.

Set the water heater thermostat to 120 degrees and take cooler showers. Use cold water to wash clothes.

If you have an older tank located in an unheated area, wrapping it with a water heater insulation blanket is a cheap and easy way to reduce water-heating costs.

Reduce your hot water use by taking shorter showers instead of baths and using cold water for full loads of laundry.

Turn off the breaker for your water heater if you are going to be gone for longer than three days.

There’s nothing better than cozying up to a warm fire during the winter months, but make sure to keep an eye on your chimney. It can act like an open window when the fireplace is not in use. Close the damper after the fire is completely out so you don’t lose your heated air. If you never use your fireplace, consider plugging and sealing the chimney flue.