Beat the heat

Winter may be over already but here's some winter tips for you guys from Kristen Beaumont for your next fall or winter season.

Tame rising heating cost with this 3-point plan.

LOWER THE HEAT- by 10 degrees before going to bed, or invest in a programmable thermostat that will do this for you automatically. The reward: a savings of 10 to 15 percent in your heating bill.

CHECK YOUR FURNACE- Filters at least once a month, and replace them if they're dirty. A dirty filter makes a furnace less efficient, meaning it has to work harder (and use more energy) to produce heat.

USE YOUR FIREPLACE SPARINGLY- Despite their warming appearance, fireplace actually sucks the heat out of a room. Solutions: invest in a glass doors that enclose the fireplace. That way, you can enjoy the flickering flames without feeling the chill of lost heat and money.