During a period of economic uncertainty, many utility customers will be looking for effective ways to reduce winter gas, electric, and water service bills. To cut energy costs this winter, some simple steps can help reduce consumption and utility bills without freezing everyone out of the house.

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TIPS

Here are some energy-saving tips to share with your customers:

• Turn off lights and other appliances when not in use.

• Lower thermostat settings at night or when you're not at home. Lowering the thermostat 10 degrees at night or while away can save $40 to $60 a year. An automatic thermostat can be set to do this at specific times.

• Close the door to empty rooms, but leave heating vents in those rooms open at least ¼ inch.

• Make sure your thermostat is not located where its subject to drafts, like near an outside door or window. This can cause the furnace to work unnecessarily.

• Clean and replace furnace filters regularly, generally every two months during winter.

• Seal leaky duct joints with duct tape purchased at building centers. Wipe the duct clean, let it dry, then apply tape to ensure a strong seal. Reular tape will last about three heating seasons, while the slightly more expensive silver tape will last up to seven years. Also insulate accessible heating ducts in unheated areas like crawl spaces.

• Open the drapes on sunny winter days for passive solar heating and close them at night to retain heat.

• Keep windows and outside doors shut tightly and replace weather stripping where necessary.

• Dress accordingly to the weather - wear warmer clothes indoors in winter rather than turning up the heat.

• Set the water heater temperature between 115 and 120 degrees or install an automatic timer to turn it down when no one is home.

• Wrap water heaters in an insulated blanket. Follow printed directions about what parts to cover and not cover. This can save $16 to $24 a year for gas heaters and triple for electric heaters.

• Keep refrigerator/freezer coils free from lint and dust buildup. Also check the refrigerator door gasket. If a dollar bill closed in the door can easily be removed, the gasket is too loose. Check with your home improvement center for a replacement kit. Don't allow frost to build up in the freezer compartment beyond ¼-inch thick.

• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs instead of incandescent bulbs. They provide the same light for less energy. A 20-watt fluorescent bulb produces the same amount of light as a 75- or 60-watt bulb and lasts longer.

• Fill the clothes dryer before using it, but don't overload it. Keep the lint screen clean.

• When you have a choice, use the range top instead of the oven. When practical, use small appliances such as toaster ovens, crockpots, and microwaves instead of the range. They use less energy.

• Never boil water in an open pan. Water will come to a boil faster and use less energy in a kettle or covered pan.

• Leave the door oven door closed while cooking. Opening the door to peek lowers the temperature about 25 degrees. Use a timer and turn the oven off 10 minutes early; there's plenty of heat to finish the job.

• Never use the oven to heat the house. It's costly and dangerous.

• Leave doors open on closets with outside walls to prevent pockets of cold air from forming, then being released into the room when the door is open.

• Warm air rises, so ceiling fans, particularly above stairways, will push warm air down to lower levels in multilevel homes.

• Put ready-made foam pads, available at hardware stores, behind light switch plates and electrical outlet plates on outside walls to reduce drafts.

• Repair leaky faucets or make sure they are shut off tightly. Drips can waste water and increase heating costs if the leak involves hot water.

• Wash clothes in cold water instead of hot water and save about $80 a year for a family of four. Diapers and some really dirty clothes may need hot water. Test detergents to see which work best in cold water.

• A single water bed can cost $10 to $15 per month to keep heated during the heating season. Keep the bed made and use a heavy insulating pad in the bottom and sides to keep heat from escaping.