Recently, heating expert Chris Cooper shared some advice [1] for thrifty Winter heating. Check out these ideas for reducing your Winter heating bill with these tips, which may surprise you. Even small adjustments in everyday life and habits can result in significant cost savings.

• Keep window shades open to take advantage of the sun's natural heat.
• Prune back tree branches that might obstruct part of the sunlight, and remove any awnings over windows that might create cooling shadows.

For the rest of the tips, .

• Cover bare floors with dark carpets that absorb the sun's energy and warm the room.
• Cover attic stairs with an insulated cover to block gaps between the stairs and the ceiling. Keep the heat in the home from escaping into the attic and the cold attic air from leaking into your house.
• Place a chimney stopper [2] (an inexpensive, often inflatable plug) at the lowest part of the flue in your fireplace when it's not in use to prevent drafts. Remember to remove the plug before you light a fire.
• Cook consciously using the proper equipment. Use the smallest pot for the job and use a burner that most closely covers the entire heating element. Use a lid to keep heat in the pot which means using a lower heat or cooking for less time. Turn off the oven five minutes before the scheduled end time and allow food to finish cooking as the oven slowly cools. Organize meals to cook multiple dishes simultaneously. Above all, avoid opening the oven to check on food while it's cooking; this allows up to 50 percent of the heat to escape and increases cooking times.
• Use a ceiling fan on low setting to push rising hot air back down where residents can benefit from its warmth. Conversely, limit use of ventilation fans over stoves or in bathrooms which draw hot air out of a house.
• Smart consumers can lower their heating costs in many ways, some obvious and some less obvious. Using common sense and a little bit of extra effort, you will be warmer and wealthier this Winter.

Source [3]