8 ways to save on your home heating bill.

Good Neighbor Tips from Erin Doan, State Farm Insurance, Scottville,www.erindoan.com.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) credits space heating as the largest energy expense in your home. It’s unlikely that you’ll be able to turn off your heater this winter, but you can take simple and inexpensive steps to save energy and cut home heating costs. Give these tips a try:

Service your furnace. Regular inspections can help ensure that your furnace will run efficiently and can potentially reduce home heating costs up to $60 each winter, according to Xcel Energy. Also don’t forget to replace your filter monthly.

Seal your home. According to Black Hills Energy, windows and doors account for up to 12 percent of a home’s heat loss. Seal your home by adding weather stripping to your doors and plastic film to your windows.

Use a ceiling fan. Flip the switch on your ceiling fan so the blades spin clockwise. This will push cold air up toward the ceiling and force hot air down into the occupied space.

Regulate your home’s temperature. Use a programmable thermostat to lower the temperature in your home while you’re away or sleeping. ENERGY STAR® reports that this could save you $180 annually. You also can install home monitoring systems that will regulate the temperature of your house. In fact, as a State Farm® customer, you may be eligible for a discount.

Take advantage of solar rays. Open curtains on south-facing windows during the day to soak up the sun’s heat. Draw them at night to help insulate your home.

Don’t heat unused rooms. There’s no sense in paying to heat a room you don’t use. Shut vents in unoccupied rooms and close the doors.

Seal air ducts. According to the EPA, 20 percent of the air moving through your ducts leaks out. Use mastic or foil tape to seal your system.

Humidify your home. Moist air feels warmer than dry air, so use a humidifier to maintain a relative humidity level of 25 to 45 percent.

– See more here.