Gas bills often spike during winter months (image via Flickr - Editor B)

Christmas Day is nearly upon us, and so we offer you this gift—easy, effective ideas for saving energy in your home, for year-round lower utility bills. Now that’s a gift that keeps on giving!

• Turn down hot water heater: This one is ultra-easy. Sure, you want the heat of a nice shower to warm you in the morning, but if you turn down the thermostat on your hot water tank to 120F rather than 140F, your appliance will have to work less to keep you water warm. This could drain 6% to 10% from your water heating bill monthly.
• Get a programmable thermostat: They can cost as little as $30 but could save you upwards of $180 in heating costs every year. They take the hassle out of turning down the heat when you leave the house or at night, ensuring that you’re not heating empty rooms. Just set it and forget it!
• Prepare A/C unit for winter: If you haven’t already, get your a/c ready to save you money throughout the winter First, if yours is a window a/c unit, be sure to remove it from the window and store it away so that you’re not losing heat. Regardless, you should also drain any pipes and hoses and store them away, while ensuring that the outdoor shutoff valve is closed.
• Clean furnace and replace filter: Like any other appliance, your furnace requires regular maintenance to stay in efficient-shape. But one of the simplest, least-expensive up-keep tasks is to regularly clean and/or replace your furnace’s filter so that air can move freely and efficiently through the system. If you have a disposable filter, check it monthly for dust and debris, replacing it as necessary. But you can save even more with a replaceable filter. Though you’ll have to put out some money to buy the investment, they trap between 48% and 78% more debris and can be used over and over again for years. These need regular (monthly) cleaning (vacuum it of dust and debris). Mark your calendar and don’t forget.
• Stop up drafts: You could be letting dollars (from heat loss) walk out your front door if you’ve got air leaks around windows, electrical outlets, and doors. Do something to stop the drafts around your doors by making your own draft snake (use fabric scraps or leftover yarn; lots of free and fun patterns are available online). Seal up leaks around windows and other outlets by getting a tube or two of caulking and some weatherstripping. Similarly, seal-up ducts for heating and cooling to cut $140 from utility bills. According to the US Department of Energy, these measures could reduce heat loss in your home between 5% and 30%.
• Wear more: Finally put that ugly Christmas sweater to use by layering to stay warm without cranking up your home’s thermostat.

Bundle up with multiple layers so that you can turn your thermostat down (image via Flickr - Vato Bob)

Making your own draft stopper is an inexpensive way to save energy and make your home more comfortable (image via Flickr - BitchBuzz)

Changing your furnace's filter can help reduce heating bills (via Flickr - Collin Anderson)