From the Alliance to Save Energy (www.ase.org)
The average household spends some $1,500 each year on energy bills

Appropriate insulation for your climate (based on R-ratings) can increase your comfort and reduce your heating and cooling costs up to 30%.

Rule of thumb for thermostat savings: For each degree you lower your thermostat in winter, you can save about 3 percent on your heating bill.

Although frost on windows may be charming in holiday movies, it’s uncomfortable in your own home. Depending on your financial capabilities, either cover single-pane windows with plastic film to avoid drafts, install storm windows, or upgrade to energy-efficient windows with double panes and low-emissivity coatings to dramatically improve indoor comfort, add beauty to your home, and save money during the holiday season and beyond.

From the Clean Air Partnership (cleanairpartnership.org)
Windows can account for up to 25% of total heat loss from your house

By minimizing air leakage and improving the thermal resistance of your windows, you could be improving their energy efficiency by 50% with the payoff visible on your energy bills.

• Heating accounts for the biggest chunk of a typical utility bill.
• The potential energy savings from reducing drafts in a home may range from 5 to 30% per year, and the home is generally much more comfortable afterward.
• The top places to check for drafts in a home are:
  • Electrical outlets
  • Switch plates
  • Window frames
  • Baseboards
  • Weather stripping around doors
  • Fireplace dampers
  • Attic hatches
  • Wall- or window-mounted air conditioners.

• Block drafts from under doors with a rubber seal (instead of those “cutsy” yet annoying draft dodgers that you have to move every time you open a door).
• Change your furnace filter monthly (since dirty filters restrict airflow causing your system to run longer, thus increasing energy use) and service your furnace annually to ensure your furnace is running at peak efficiency.
• Heat your home with the sun by opening the curtains on the south-facing side of your home during the day to let warm sunlight in. Close them at night to further reduce the chill.
• Older homes are especially vulnerable to drafts, but even new homes can develop drafts as they settle. Check for drafts in any home, regardless of age.
• Keep your thermostat as low as comfortable and reduce the temperature at night.
• Use a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home's temperature settings, allowing you to save energy while you're away or sleeping.
• Turn off ventilation fans, like those around fireplaces and stoves, as soon as possible since they suck warm air out of the home quickly.
• Be sure warm-air registers and baseboard heaters are clean and not being blocked by furniture or draperies.
• Window insulator kits and other home winterization items should be installed before the temperature drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit or the surface will become too cold for the adhesive to stick properly.
• An added benefit of reducing air infiltration with weatherstripping is that it also helps stop dust, dirt and insects from entering the house.
• Read product packaging carefully for helpful recommendations. No single type of weatherstripping works well everywhere. You will probably need one type for doors, another for windows.
• The cost of home winterization can usually be paid back in energy savings in less than one year.