Home Heating

• Residential heating systems need regular tune-ups. Contact your local propane supplier to inquire about a home-heating system inspection program.
  
• Change your furnace filter monthly. Clean filters will save you money on your heating bill.
  
• Consider investing in a furnace thermostat timer that can save money by lowering your home's temperature when you are not at home.
  
• Protect against drafts around windows and doors by caulking and weather-stripping.
  
• If you are purchasing a fireplace, consider selecting one fueled by propane. Propane fireplaces burn more efficiently than wood-burning models and distribute heat more evenly throughout the room.

  Water Heaters

• You can save more than 10 percent on your water-heating bill by turning down your water heater from the standard 140 degrees to 130 degrees.
  
• To extend your water heater's life and increase energy efficiency, drain it every six months to remove lime deposits and sediment.
  
• Install flow-restricting showerheads. You can reduce hot water usage by up to 50 percent without affecting shower pressure.
  
• Repair leaky faucets. A leak that fills a coffee cup in 10 minutes wastes 3,200 gallons of water a year.
  

  Home Appliances

• Gas ranges with electronic ignition systems will use 40 percent less energy than a standing pilot system.
  
• Be sure that all burners are burning with a blue, cone-shaped flame. A yellow flame indicates clogged air inlets or burners that need adjustment. Contact your propane supplier's service department immediately if you do not see a blue flame.
  
• Check the seal on your oven door. Gaps or tears in the seal will let heat escape and waste energy.
  

  Source: National Propane Gas Association/Propane Education & Research Council 2/1/00