Today is officially the first day of winter, and winter weather is finally here (for a few days at least!)  Heating your home makes up a large portion of your utility bill, but fortunately for us there are ways to conserve energy on these cold winter days.   Draft proofing your home is the number one way to save on your utility bill.  In order to get maximum productivity out of your heater there should not be any way that air can come in or out of your home.  The garage and the garage door is a huge problem area.  Make sure to keep your garage door closed at all times possible.  Properly insulate your doors, windows, plumbing, and wiring holes with a tube of exterior silicone caulk or some insulation strips.  Cheap door sweeps can be installed on the bottom of your doors to eliminate any gaps that may exist between the door and the flooring.  Storm windows create dead-air space between the glass panes, therefore reducing the amount of cold air that enters your home.  Although fire places are beautiful to look at, they are not actually great sources of heat.  While using your fireplace make sure you turn down the heat in your home so that your heater is not attempting to replace the warm air lost through the chimney.  Unless you plan on sitting directly in front of the fire, the best option is to not use the fireplace too often. 
 
The best piece of advice to stay warm in the winter:  Layer your clothing and enjoy a hot beverage!  You will be warm from the inside out!  HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Blog inspired by article featured in Matter Network and can be seen here: http://www.matternetwork.com/2011/10/tips-green-warm-winter-home.cfm