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How to save on energy costs this winter

PITTSBURGH — It’s western Pennsylvania and we know there is going to be snow and cold for the next few months. But I’ve had a sneak peek at Chief Meteorologist Stephen Cropper’s winter forecast, and it might be time to prep your home and car for some arctic outbreaks.

If you’re like me, you’re probably saying to yourself this time of year, “I need to get that car battery checked or maybe I should seal my home.”

Well, now is the time, and it can save you money and a few headaches over the winter.

Simply checking your car battery right now can keep you from a huge cost in the coming months.

Check for corrosion around your battery, and pay attention to the sound your car makes when it starts.

And you’ll want to have your car prepped in time for Thanksgiving travel. Even though the current forecast looks like temperatures will be close to normal the third week of November — you want to be ready just in case.

Prepping your car is just one way to save money this winter. The best way to not destroy your Christmas budget is to save on energy.

You can easily save a few hundred dollars over the course of a year by making sure your ceiling fan setting is on winter mode during the cold months and none of your furniture is blocking vents. These two things allow air to circulate properly and keep your home comfortable.

And while supply chain issues are always a factor, it shouldn’t keep you from enjoying the great winter activities like skiing, ice skating and sled riding. Those blasts of cold that will be coming from time to time through the winter should help in making fresh powder even if it doesn’t always fall from the sky.

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