This winter, prepare your home to ensure that you are getting the most out of your heating system. Here are a few tips that will help increase the efficiency of your heating systems and possibly save you some money.

1. Get your furnace inspected by a professional. Professionals can tune your system and make sure you are heating at maximum efficiency.

2. Look for cold spots in your home. Use a hand-held thermal sensor device to locate places where you may have missing insulation and cold air entering into your home. Then, decide if you need to add weather stripping to a window/door or inject foam into a wall cavity.

3. Keep your cold air returns unblocked.

4. Remember to change your filter.

5. Get a programmable thermostat. They are easy to install & cheap. You can set it to turn down the heat a few degrees when you are not home.

6. Seal electrical boxes (light fixtures, etc.) in the attic.

7. Install dampers to direct air flow to rooms that need it the most.

8. Be sure that all of your ducts are sealed properly.

9. Get an energy audit. This will inform you of where your home's biggest energy losses are.