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The Energy Information Administration projects heating bill hikes ranging from 31 percent in the Northeast to 71 percent in the Midwest. Electricity prices could rise as well, as almost one-fifth of electricity is generated using natural gas.

While it's no secret that you'll be spending more to heat your home this winter, if you take measures to conserve energy, you can significantly minimize the impact. Here are my top 10 energy savings tips:

Service your heating system

This is my number one rule. By paying a service technician $75 to $100, depending on where you live, he or she will clean the unit and replace filters in the furnace and humidifier, thus insuring that the equipment is running at its most cost-efficient and optimum capacity. This should be done annually.

Install a programmable thermostat

A recent study revealed that only 24 percent of Americans have installed this handy device - for shame! Well-insulated homes can save up to 30 percent on heating costs with one. You can program these thermostats to automatically lower temperatures when at work or while sleeping, thereby saving energy hours at a time. Prices for programmable thermostats range from $40 to $100, and will quickly pay for themselves.

Add weather stripping around windows and doors

Use of door thresholds, window caulking and plastic window film can go far in saving your money this winter. If you live in a drafty home, you could save up to 20 percent with an investment of as little as $25. One product to consider is a product called Windjammer (Ace no. 1200989), a clear, weatherproof gel that dispenses from a can and seals drafts. What's more, it can be easily removed at the end of the season.

Install ceiling fans in your home

Running the fans slowly and in reverse will keep warm air circulating throughout the house, thereby reducing running time for the furnace. Ceiling fans add a nice decorative touch as well.

Check furniture arrangement in your rooms

Are you unknowingly blocking vents and radiators with a big sofa or armchair? If so, you're restricting the airflow in your home, resulting in higher output from your furnace or boiler. Rearranging the furniture can save your units from having to work overtime.

Install a tankless water heater

I always remind people that this amazing technology has been around for 70 years, yet U.S. homeowners have been slow to adopt it. These days, units are less expensive, and by creating hot water on demand as opposed to continuously heating stored water, homeowners can save hundreds of dollars over time.

Be smart about setting the temperature

Homeowners can save up to 3 percent on energy bills simply by turning down the thermostat just one degree. You won't even notice the change in temperature, but your heating bill will.

Install thermo-pane windows in your home

These multi-pane windows can have R-values of as high as 9.1. The higher the R-value, the more resistant the glass is to losing heat. Conversely, your typical single pane glass has an R-value of 1. The difference is an increase in energy efficiency of up to 70 percent.

Properly insulate your ceilings and attic

Heat rises, and if there isn't enough insulation in the space above, your money literally is going out the roof. Most ceilings and attic spaces should have at least an R-30 rating, although some areas of the country recommend an R-40-50 rating.

Let the sun be your guide

It's free energy! During the day, open up drapes and blinds and let the sun heat your home. At night, draw the curtains to keep the heat inside.

Credit:  Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

Normal time periods are one month to three months. Be sure you are choosing the best furnace filter to fit your needs.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Information in this document has been furnished by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Clean warm-air registers and air returns as well as baseboard heaters on a regular basis to eliminate dust so that heat and air flows freely.

Make sure your heat registers and air returns are not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.

Move your furniture around so you are not sitting near exterior walls and older windows which are more likely to be drafty.

Open your curtains, drapes or blinds on south facing windows on sunny days to let let the sun warm your home for free. Just remember to close them at night.

Flip your ceiling fan to rotate clockwise and run it at a slow speed to circulate that warm air trapped near the ceiling.

When not in use, keep your fireplace door and damper closed because it will pull heated air out of the house and right up the chimney.

Don't run kitchen or bath exhaust fans any longer than necessary as they pull air out of your home.

Wear warm layered clothing indoors during cold weather. A light long-sleeved sweater is worth about 2 degrees in added warmth, while a heavy sweater adds about 4 degrees. So cozy up and start saving.

Close heating vents and doors to rooms like the attic, garage, basement, spare bedrooms and storage areas that don't require much heat. Heat only those rooms that you use.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Put Up Some Plastic

For just a few dollars, pick up a window insulation kit at your local Westlake Hardware and you could save up to $18 per window this heating season. Don't worry -- properly installed, window plastic is essentially invisible. Adding a buffer against drafts and extra still air space can give a nice boost to your home's ability to hold heat.  To find out more, check out 3M's energy savings estimator and enter your city and window specs.

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Installing a programmable thermostat can significantly reduce energy costs because they allow you to automatically adjust the temperature throughout the day, creating a specific energy-saving 'program' for weekdays and weekends. Some models even allow you to set preferences on the hour for each day of the week. Average Savings: $125 - $350 per year and up

Lower the Temperature

During winter months, lowering the heat by one degree during any 24 hour period can decrease your heating bill by up to 3%. Set your thermostat to 65 – 68 degrees when you’re home and 60 – 65 degrees during the evening.  Turn down the thermostat 10 degrees when you go to work, and again when you go to bed -- a total of 16 hours a day -- and you can save about 14% on your heating bill.

Change Your Furnace Filter

Make sure you routinely clean or change the air filters of your heating  system. Dirty air filters restricts air flow so your furnace has to work harder to deliver the warm air that it created. Keeping the filter clean can lower your system's energy consumption by 5%–15% which could save you up to $100 a year.

Turn Down Your Hot Water Heater

Your water heater may be working harder than it needs to, costing you precious dollars. Reduce the temperature on the unit to about 120 degrees - the water doesn't need to be any hotter. If the unit is older than 12 years, you may want to look into replacing it with a new, more energy-efficient model. Average Savings: $20 - $50 per year

Use Kitchen and Bathroom Fans Wisely

In just one hour, a hard-working bathroom or kitchen fan can expel a houseful of warm air, according to the Department of Energy. Turn them off as soon as they've done their job.

Run Your Ceiling Fan in Reverse

Most people think of ceiling fans only for cooling, but many ceiling units come with a handy switch that reverses the direction of the blades. Counterclockwise rotation produces cooling breezes while switching to clockwise makes it warmer: air pooled near the ceiling is circulated back into the living space - cutting your heating costs as much as 10%!

Take Advantage of Passive Solar Heat

During bright sunny days open those south-facing window curtains or blinds to let the sun heat your home. Just remember to close them at night night to keep the heat in.

Seal Up Those Gaps

Simple leaks can sap home energy efficiency by 5% to 30% a year, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. That means it pays to seal up gaps with caulking and weatherstripping.

Take a close look at places where two different building materials meet, such as windows, corners, around chimneys, where pipes or wires exit and along the foundation. Use the incense test: carefully (avoiding drapes and other flammables) move a lit stick along walls; where the smoke wavers, you have air sneaking in. And your hard earned dollars are sneaking out. 

Buy door sweeps to close spaces under exterior doors, and caulk or tacky rope caulk to block those drafty spots around window frames. Apply weather-stripping to movable joints.

Insulate Outlets and Light Switches

This is something often overlooked because people don’t realize that outlets and switches can be sources of air leaks. But outlets and light switches need to have insulation added to them, especially when they’re on an outside wall. Just make sure you get specialized outlet and switch plate seals, which can found inexpensively at Westlake Hardware store. The insulation is made specifically for outlets and switch plates, so you don’t have to worry about fire.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

A stick-on foam tape works well on aluminum, but it must be applied when the surface is warm and dry.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Information in this document has been furnished by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Many people prefer the doorjamb weatherstrip. It works on metal with screws or wood with nails. Unlike the v-strips, foam strips or felt, these can't fall off.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Information in this document has been furnished by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

Chances are, when you open your monthly utility statements, you're witnessing energy costs doubling and even tripling at the height of the season. Many homes, particularly those built more than 10 years ago, do not feature the latest energy-saving techniques and products. By spending just a few dollars and doing some simple projects, you can save energy - and significant amounts of money. Here are five fast fixes to help you start saving:

Lower Your Lighting Costs

Start with this easy task: Replace current light bulbs with energy-saving compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs. They screw in just like standard bulbs, but use a fourth of the energy and last up to 10 times longer. An 18-watt CFL bulb provides as much light as a 75-watt standard light bulb. Average savings: $10 - $50 per year

Taming the Toilet

A constantly-running toilet can use up to 8,000 gallons of water each year. Fix the problem by installing a toilet repair kit that features a new valve, flapper and other devices that will conserve water. Average Savings: $25 - $100 per year

Fix Leaky Fixtures

Aside from causing that annoying "drip," leaky faucets can also cause a spike in your water bill. Replacing the aerator and rubber washer will cost you pennies yet save you dollars in the long run. As for the showerhead, consider installing a flow-restricting model - a family of four can conserve 10,000 gallons of water per year going this route. Average Savings: $100 - $300 per year

Hot Water Help

Your water heater may be working harder than it needs to, costing you precious dollars. Reduce the temperature on the unit to about 120 degrees - the water doesn't need to be any hotter. If the unit is older than 12 years, you may want to look into replacing it with a new, more energy-efficient model. Average Savings: $20 - $50 per year

Install a Programmable Thermostat

Installing a programmable thermostat can significantly reduce energy costs, especially in the winter and summer months. Programmable models allow you to automatically adjust the temperature throughout the day, creating a specific energy-saving 'program' for weekdays and weekends. Some models even allow you to set preferences on the hour for each day of the week. Average Savings: $125 - $350 per year and up

Credit: Lou Manfredini's Tips From the Tool Box, Ace Hardware

Yes. It's one of the easiest projects there is. It's as easy as flipping a breaker, using a screwdriver and disconnecting/connecting a few wires. Read the instructions on your new thermostat for a step-by-step guide.

Changing your thermostat is one way to cut energy expenses, but consider other changes that could cut energy expenditures.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and safety of this information. Neither Westlake nor any contributor can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.

There are three types: screw in, bolt in and clamp in. They all have different wattage ratings and can work on either 120 or 240 voltage.

Check your state and local codes before starting any project. Follow all safety precautions. Information in this document has been furnished by the North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) and associated contributors. Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and safety. Neither NRHA, any contributor nor the retailer can be held responsible for damages or injuries resulting from the use of the information in this document.