The Environmental Protection Agencys Energy Star program says the average household spends more than $2,200 a year on energy bills with almost half of that going toward heating and cooling.

To add insult to injury, you could be throwing money out the window if your home isnt energy-efficient. Leaking windows, poorly insulated water heaters, and clogged air filters are all budget busters.

But you might be able to fix your homes energy deficiencies yourself for cheap. In the video below, Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson explains five do-it-yourself winterization projects that can be completed with supplies from a hardware store. Check it out and then read on for more ways to prepare your home for winter

Click here to watch Preparing Your Home for Winter on MoneyTalksNews.com

Now, lets hash out Stacys ways and add a few more winterizing projects

According to the advocacy group Energy Impact Illinois, leaks around your house can add up to a 15 to 35 percent air loss. Instead of heating the whole neighborhood this winter, check for leaks by holding up a lit candle to common trouble spots like:

If the candle flickers, youve got a leak. Pick up a tube of caulk (about $5 in hardware stores) and use it to seal up any leaks.

Insulation helps keep cold air out and warm air in during the winter. The easiest place to add insulation is in your attic. The Energy Star program recommends having 12 to 15 inches of insulation in your attic. If youre not sure how much you have, look at an unfinished portion of your attic floor. If the insulation is sitting below the floor joists, you need to add more.

As we mentioned in the video, it will cost about $500 to buy the insulation for an average-size house. It should take about two to three hours to complete the project. If youre not sure how to install insulation, check out this how-to video on Monkeysee.

If your air filter is dirty, your central air will have to work harder to heat your home, costing you more money. Over time, dirty and clogged filters can also cause bigger (and costlier) problems.

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8 Cheap Ways to Prepare Your Home for Winter

DALLAS (AP) -- Lennox International Inc. said Monday that its third-quarter net profit fell 13 percent, dragged down by a loss at its discontinued residential heating and cooling service unit.

The Dallas-based maker of heating, ventilation, air conditioning and refrigeration products said its net income came in at $29.4 million, or 57 cents per share. That's down from $33.8 million, or 64 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 1 percent to $809.7 million.

Excluding the service unit's after-tax loss of 40 cents per share, Lennox said it would have made 97 cents per share from continuing operations during the quarter that ended Sept. 30.

The earnings performance beat Wall Street's estimates. Analysts polled by FactSet expected earnings of 95 cents per share. But they also expected revenue of $905.3 million for the quarter.

Lennox also raised its full-year earnings and revenue guidance. The company now expects to make $2.60 to $2.80 per share from continuing operations in 2012, up from prior guidance of $2.35 to $2.65. Analysts polled by FactSet expect revenue of $2.53 per share for the full year.

The company also expects revenue to rise in a range of 5 to 7 percent excluding currency exchange costs. That's up from a range of 3 to 6 percent.

Lennox placed its Service Experts unit up for sale in September, saying it doesn't need to own the network of 108 branches. The unit's dealer-contractors install and service residential heating and cooling equipment. The company said previously it would report the unit's results as discontinued operations starting in the third quarter.

The company said revenue from its heating and cooling businesses grew, but refrigeration revenue dropped due to lower volume and higher sales expenses.

Lennox said its residential heating and cooling business showed strong growth in both the replacement and new construction markets during the quarter, and the company expects that momentum to continue. It said backlog and order rates in commercial and refrigeration look solid.

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Lennox International 3Q net profit falls 13 pct

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) October 17, 2012

There are some things that happen once every four years and that's fine, but dont let heating and air conditioning maintenance be one of them. The top energy savings tip is to have heating and air systems serviced regularly. A regularly maintained HVAC system will consume less electricity and gas. If an HVAC system has not serviced by a licensed professional since the last presidential election, then now is the time to schedule one.

Homeowners and commercial property managers depend on reliable heating and air conditioning system for comfort at home and work. This valuable equipment must be serviced to prevent major break downs later on.

More Top Heating and Cooling Energy Saving Tips

1. Install a programmable thermostat for home heating. It can save lots of energy while youre sleeping or away from home and will re-warm your house shortly before you wake up or return home from work.

2. Set your homes thermostat at the coolest level you can without making your rooms uncomfortable. For most homes, the heating bill drops by about 2 percent for every 1 degree the thermostat is lowered.

3. Lower your homes thermostat at bedtime or while youre away during the day. Setting the thermostat to 58 degrees while youre asleep (you may need an extra blanket!) can cut your natural-gas bill by up to 7 percent.

4. Seal up leaky drafts around doors and windows with weather-stripping, caulking, and door sweeps. (And dont forget to keep the damper closed on a fireplace or wood-burning stove when its not in use.) Also seal up any leaks or gaps in furnace ducts that extend through unheated basements or crawl spaces.

5. Have your furnace inspected and tuned up every year (before the heating season starts), and clean or replace the air filters on your furnace every two months during the heating season. Your furnace will run more efficiently and use less energy.

6. Make sure you have adequate insulation in your homes attic and walls, and around heating ducts that pass through unheated spaces.

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Tips To Help Lower Heating and Cooling Bills and Special Pricing for Fall Preseason Furnace Tune-up Announced by R.S ...

PARKERSBURG, W.Va., Oct. 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MS --Before the holidays bring family celebrations and visiting friends to your home, create a new look and improve its comfort level. Check out the suggestions below, make your project list, and then go to Woodcraft for the tools and accessories to get the job done.

(Photo:http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121016/NY91721 )

"Put safety first," cautions Scott Phillips, host of The American Woodshop. "Before you begin your first project, make sure you have eye, ear and breathing protection available and then follow the manufacturer's directions for all the tools and products you use. Have a first-aid kit and a phone handy, and enlist help for the heavy-duty work."

Entrance & Windows Give your entrance an easy update with a new door or add color and new hardware to an existing one. Install new windows that are attractive, reduce heating and cooling costs, and are easy to maintain.

Kitchen & Dining Areas Apply stain or color to your kitchen cabinets and replace hinges and pulls or knobs to brighten your "home cafe." If your cabinets have seen better days, install new ones either store-bought or ones you build. For wood furniture, consider using a stain or topcoat to change the room's decor.

Shelving & Lighting Add shelving to help control clutter (bedroom/bathroom closets) and provide more display space for photos and collectibles (living room/ family room/kitchen). Enhance cabinets and furniture with LED lighting.

Living/Family Room Arranging furniture into "areas" will allow for varied activities simultaneously. Use plants, a bookcase or a divider to separate areas. Paint walls, hang pictures or stain wood furniture to add color.

Handy Helpers from Woodcraft

For more information about Woodcraft, contact the store nearest you, visit http://www.woodcraft.com or call (800) 535-4482.

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Create a Fresh Look for Your Home

"Weather-stripping will get the biggest bang for the buck as it can net up to 25 percent in savings on heating and cooling bills," said Eric Raines, PSO manager of energy efficiency and consumer programs.

The American Electric Power-Public Service Company of Oklahoma website says, "Caulk, seal and weather-strip openings from your home to the outside."

Weather-stripping can be done by a painting contractor, a window installation contractor or any handyman firm and is usually bid by the job or by the window.

Scott Graybill, owner of Sooner Weatherstrip in Tulsa, said the typical residential exit door can be outfitted with new weather seal all around and a threshold sweep for $120.

Raines recommended increasing attic insulation if the joists are showing through the old insulation. Ceiling joists are usually 3 1/2-inch-wide "2-by-4s" and insulation less than 3 1/2 inches is good for only about R-9 (4 times too little). The recommended R-value for attic insulation in northeastern Oklahoma is "R-38 - 15 to 16 inches of blown-in insulation." This can save you 10 percent on your cooling and heating bills, Raines said.

Steve Blackburn, owner of Burnett Insulation of Tulsa, said $1,000 would get a 15-inch-deep layer of "Certainteed InsulSafe SP" fiberglass insulation blown in to a 1,800-square-foot attic. That depth provides an insulation value of R-38.

Next in the $1,000 winterize roundup is the "programmable thermostat," said Raines. These can deliver a year-round energy savings of $150, conservatively, or as much as $185. They can be used to raise or lower indoor temperatures while no one is home and set for more comfortable temperatures 15 minutes before residents return. The U.S. Department of Energy website says, "By turning your thermostat back 10 degrees to 15 degrees for 8 hours, you can save 5 percent to 15 percent a year on your heating bill. Savings are figured at 1 percent per degree when the setback period is 8 hours long."

Install storm doors, at least on the worst-performing exits, for up to an 8 percent savings. Home Depot has Andersen storm doors for $194 to $220.

Install storm windows all around your home for a 25 percent savings on heating and cooling bills. Lowe's has Comfort-Bilt storm windows in several sizes: 36-by-55 for $60, 28-by-47 for $74, 32-by-47 for $71.

Often, a change in heating and cooling philosophy leads to savings. In winter, set the thermostat on 68 degrees during the day and 58 at night for a 15 percent savings.

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Action Line: Time is now to winterize your home

With a focus on conservation, One Call Houston is paving the way for greater Houston homeowners, offering an ecologically sound way to reduce utility costs up to 75%.

Houston, TX (PRWEB) October 12, 2012

Geothermal heating works via a heat pump that employs the earth loop system to draw the heat from the ground. Delivering air through a classic duct network similar to central HVAC systems, the geothermal loop draws heat from buried pipes and distributes it as warm air, while at the same time providing hot water, and even heating the floor of your home! This process is reversed in the cooling mode. Instead of extracting heat from the ground, heat is taken from the air in your home and either moved back into the earth loop, or used to preheat the water in your hot water tank. The result is cool, conditioned air throughout the entire house, using only a fraction of the energy that a traditional air conditioning system would use.

When I asked how in depth installing a geothermal system was, I expected a complicated and perhaps messy process. It isnt points out Edgar; we drill a hole and run pipes into the ground, install a small pump and heat exchanger about the size of a traditional AC unit, and youre good to go its not much more complicated that fixing a clogged sewer line, and it will work for virtually everyone! With improvements in technology and the custom processes we've developed for the Houston area, it's very straightforward. This is excellent news for homeowners and business owners both who may be concerned about the logistics of making the switch to geothermal.

So, why make the switch? Geothermal energy uses 75% less energy on average than the more typical Air Conditioning / Heat Pump combination found in most homes, and has the added benefit of heating your hot water. Many people arent away of the benefits says Edgar Connery, owner of One Call Houston nor do they know about the tax breaks & incentives offered for eco-friendly alternatives such as geothermal. Instead, they look at the initial up front cost, not realizing theyll often pay up to 30% less after these incentives and thats before the financing we offer. That's excellent news for Houston homeowners and business owners both, as many of us have been subjected to rising utility costs in recent years.

With the many benefits offered by geothermal, Houstonians are taking notice, tempted by the ability to cool their homes for as little as $20/month and often slashing their total energy bill by 70% or more: financing has really put these incredible systems in reach of the average homeowner or business owner by replacing rising utility costs with a cheaper, short term loan payment notes Edgar and subsequently demand has been crazy!.

How crazy? According to Edgars HR manager, the company has nearly doubled in size this year alone. What does that mean for job seekers in Houston? Weve been hiring non-stop since April Edgar stated when asked. We still havent caught up, we cant hire fast enough to keep up with demand were always looking for honest people to come and work for us! Great news to say the least, especially in the current economic conditions.

One Call Houston is a locally owned and operated service company providing air conditioning, heating (HVAC) plumbing and remodeling services to the greater Houston area since 1990. Were one of the few HVAC and Plumbing companies that makes an effort not only to offer our customers ecologically sound options, but also to use these same options in our establishment. (As I write this article One Call is in the process of replacing all of their large fleet trucks with new transit vans, slashing their fuel consumption and carbon footprint by ~60%). Edgars comment? One Call has always treated people right and most of our business is by word of mouth because of that. Ive decided that we should treat the planet like we treat our customers, with honesty and respect.

If youre considering making the switch to geothermal energy for your home (and you should be!) One Call is offering free information to all as well as estimates to those inside the 610 loop. Those interested should call 713-880-5200 or visit http://www.onecallhouston.com (and like their Facebook page for a chance to win $25!).

Written for Local Service News Houston by Douglas Anderson.

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HVAC & Plumbing Co. Gives Houston Area Economy a Boost with Cutting Edge Green Technology

By Jim Donovan

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) Soon the cool air will move in and well be turning up the heat. But do you ever find it hard to maintain an even temperature throughout your entire house? Youre not alone, its a problem many homeowners have.

In this weeks Angies List report, Jim Donovan shows things you can do to in order to make your entire home feel more comfortable.

Upstairs its hot, but downstairs its cold. In many two story homes, theres a significant temperature difference between the first and second floor. But it doesnt have to stay that way.

If you find yourself having problems with temperature on different levels of your house, talk to a reputable heating and cooling company because they can give you suggestions for how to best manage for that. Whether it be settings on your existing system or whether you need to add additional equipment, said Angies List founder, Angie Hicks.

One simple thing you can do involves making an adjustment to your thermostat.

On your thermostat there is a switch for your fan for ON and AUTO. You want to switch that to ON and what that will do, is run your fan continuously. What that does in your house is that keeps the rooms a little more even-temperature because you are continuously circulating the air throughout the house; so its mixing all the air between the upstairs and the downstairs, said HVAC contractor Dave Mejean.

Other options to consider have your ductwork inspected leaks can often keep air from getting where it should.

You cold also add another HVAC system to your home, but that can be expensive, upwards of $7,000.

A cheaper option would be installing a zoning system. They allow you to control the temperature on each floor and cost about $3,000.

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Angie’s List: Evening Out The Temperature In Your Home

The leaves are starting to turn and the chill is in the air, and now is the time for homeowners to prep their residence for Old Man Winter.

With heating costs expected to rise this year, properly winterizing your home could save money on lower heating bills and eliminate costly damage to the house from the elements.

The most important things are to check for leaks around the house and make sure your heating is as efficient as it can be for the house, says Larry Bilotti, executive editor of BobVila.com. Experts recommend inspecting your home and making requisite repairs now before that first snowstorm.

Seal the envelop of your home. Nows the time to walk around your house and look for cracks and places that need sealing or caulking. It will help you save money in the summer and winter by eliminating air infiltration, says home improvement expert Danny Lipford.

Look for cracks around windows, doors, faucets, air conditioning vents, dryer vents and any other place that something can come through the wall. Most cracks can be sealed with good quality exterior caulkits very inexpensive and comes in many colors to match the exterior, says Lipford. If you do find areas with large cracks, you may need to use an expandable foam.

Bilotti suggests patching any areas with cracked paint because exposed wood has no barrier against moisture, which can cause more serious problems.

Make sure doors and windows are sealing properly. Since nearly half of your energy costs go to heating and cooling your home, you want to make certain that windows and doors are tightly sealed, says Bilotti. Check that weatherstripping is installed and that caulking around windows is not cracked or missing. This is also the time to remove screens and install storm windows.

If you already have weatherstripping, look whether the foams in good condition, says Lipford. If its not, take off a small strip and take it with you to the store to match it with new weather stripping because that will give you the best seal.

Protect from critters. While youre walking around, look for access points for insects and small animals, says Lipford. Closing any holes can prevent squirrels and other animals from living in your warm attic during the cold winter months and causing long-term problems. He suggests using binoculars to inspect areas around roofs instead of climbing a ladder.

Look for missing, loose or curled shingles. Look at your roof from a distance to see if there are any shingles that are missing, arent lying flat or have curled corners, says Bilotti. Fixing shingles now can help a roof last up to five years longer and prevent a bigger headache come springshingles protect the roof from water and moisture and prevent roof rot and leaks.

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How to Prep Your Home for Winter

The Fort Riley, KS project is one of the largest of its kind in the Midwest.

St. Louis MO (PRWEB) October 10, 2012

The US Army Corps of Engineers selected Microgrid Solar as its partner for the renewable energy component of what is being billed as new net-zero-energy Brigade Headquarters. Microgrid will install 510 kilowatts (kW) of solar panels covering the roof and structures for the parking lot, as well as 5 vertical axis wind turbines around the perimeter of the building.

The combined power capacity of the project is equivalent to the power used by 100 homes.

This project is designed not only to meet energy goals, but to demonstrate what will soon become commonplace on military bases around the world, states Microgrid CEO, Rick Hunter, We are excited to be a part of this important project.

The project, scheduled to complete construction in 2013, will also be LEED certified, and includes an extensive ground-source (geothermal) field for all of the heating and cooling needs of the building. There also will be a solar-thermal water heating system.

The US Army, as well as other branches of the military, has made renewable energy integration on bases a major focus, with plans to invest billions of dollars over the next decade. This move is motivated by the desire to have power sources that are less susceptible to potential attacks, and by the need to reduce dependence on foreign oil.

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About Microgrid Solar

Microgrid is the leading Midwest solar installer, based in St. Louis, MO, offering turnkey solar services for both commercial and residential clients. The St. Louis Business Journal named Microgrid Solar in the Whos Who in Energy in 2012 and the Heros of the Planet award in 2011.

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Microgrid Solar Wins $2.6 M Contract for Solar and Wind Power Project at Military Base

(October 8, 2012) Some preliminary weather reports from Accuweather and The Weather Channel advise East Coast homeowners to brace for one of the coldest and snowiest winters in recent memory.

Kenilworth, NJ (PRWEB) October 10, 2012

Many forecasters including Accuweather believe the mild wintry conditions we experienced last year were an aberration and that the northeast will fall victim to significant snowfall during 2012-2013 winter season. Accuweather and The Weather Channel predict major cold fronts will align with large storm systems during the winter months of January and February. Forecasters cite the weak to moderate El Nio expected by the fall, which often results in above average precipitation and below average temperatures for much of the east coast. El Nio is an environmental occurrence often associated with a temporary change in climate in the Pacific Ocean. This alteration in ocean temperature will often affect the climate on the East Coast.

Failing to maintain a reliable heating system can lead to uncomfortable and potentially disastrous results. The winter may seem harmless to some, but it can create a great deal of discomfort. The benefits of enjoying a warm home in the company of friends and family can be affected by the harsh wintry cold if the appropriate actions arent taken. The best way to guarantee warm comfort inside your home is having a trained HVAC technician perform a system evaluation. Having the heating system regularly inspected is the best way to ensure peak performance. This approach may also help avoid more expensive future repairs that would have been inevitable had the system not been inspected.

Theres an easy way to avoid situations like these, said Bobby Ring, President of Meyer & Depew. If you have an aging heating system that has produced questionable results in the past, or even one that has performed flawlessly, have it inspected before temperatures begin to drop. Consider this approach an investment in your peace of mind.

In addition, Meyer & Depew installs the energy efficient heating systems that save homeowners money in the long run. This type of replacement has the potential to lower heating bills for years to come.

Scheduling regular maintenance checkups with Meyer & Depew guarantees uninterrupted cold-weather operations, Ring said. A seasonal check-up is a sure-fire way of guaranteeing a warm, comfortable home without any of the stress that goes along with an unheated house.

Meyer & Depew encourages homeowners to perform their own periodic maintenance checks and to be aware of obvious red flags. If the house isnt being heated evenly or if there are humidity abnormalities, it may be a result of a furnace malfunction. It is also advised to check the quality of the air filter and heat exchanger at the start of the heating season and periodically every few weeks. Meyer & Depew is always available to alleviate these issues as soon as they are notified.

About Meyer & Depew Co.

Meyer & Depew, located in Kenilworth, NJ, provides outstanding heating and cooling solutions to customers in Central and Northern New Jersey. Its team of highly trained technicians install and maintain heating and cooling systems with the highest levels of professionalism and customer satisfaction. President Bobby Ring was recently featured as an HVAC expert on a Dateline story in which he evaluated questionable recommendations made by a number of HVAC technicians.

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Meyer & Depew Prepares Homeowners for Brutal Winter Forecast