It’s the beginning of November, and for many that means winter has arrived, and with it heating season. Keeping indoor temps at a comfortable level costs North Americans a great deal in terms of money and energy. In fact, the average American will spend nearly $2,000 every year for heating, whether that be with oil, gas, electricity, or wood stove. It all adds to our climate footprint as well, with heating being one of the biggest residential contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.

But there are some very cost-effective (free!) things you can do to lower your heating bill and cut your carbon dioxide emissions. With just a few quick little environmentally-friendly seasonal changes to your heating system, you could help the country reduce its dependency on fossil fuels while saving energy, too.

Programmable Thermostat at 60 Degrees Via Flickr - Mr.Thomas

Lower your thermostat

Your thermostat is one of the most important tools you could use to lower your home’s energy impact. Learning how to maximize thermostat settings for efficiency is a great way to cut how much energy you use to heat your home.

Each season, you should readjust your thermostat settings. Now that it’s winter for many of us, it’s time to turn the setting down to 68°F or lower for those times when your home is occupied. It can go even lower when you’re asleep and when you’re not at home to further reduce your heating costs.

Make your job even easier by installing a programmable thermostat to do the work of adjusting for you. There are rebates for this simple upgrade for many states, and a programmable thermostat may just save you $150 every year on heating and cooling costs. Get more ideas from the Alliance to Save Energy.

Reverse Ceiling Fan in Winter Via Flickr - dane brian

Reverse your fan direction

Yes, it might seem counterproductive to run a fan in the middle of the winter, but a ceiling fan can actually help to reduce your heating costs. How? Well, if you reverse your fan’s rotation from counter-clockwise to clockwise, you’ll help to force warm air that’s trapped near the ceiling down to floor-level. This will ensure that your heated air is circulated more evenly, reducing the work your heating system has to do to keep you warm. It’s a low-free way to lower heating bills. Find out more at the Look Up Campaign.

Layer up

Yet another no-cost way to save on heating bills is the layering technique. What do we mean? Well, during the day, you can warm yourself up inexpensively by layering your clothing. As you get warmer, remove a layer or two. Likewise at night while you sleep—pile up the quilts to stay cozy at without raising the cost of heating. ENERGY STAR has even more ideas for how to heat and cool efficiently.