As the outside temperature is falling, your home thermostat dial is inching back up.

Every time you touch that dial, you pay a price. Don't let winter winds blow your utility bill to new heights. In order to save money, you have to save energy first.

Today's home builders care about the environment and have made it easy for homeowners to conserve energy. They install high quality insulation to prevent the unwanted exchange of the outside air with the air inside your home's walls.

As homes age, homeowners need to conduct routine maintenance to make sure their houses don't have leaks that waste energy.

By taking a few steps to save energy, you will also save money and protect the environment.

Inspect your furnace. A well-maintained furnace runs more efficiently, uses less energy and saves you money.

To make sure your furnace is in good working condition, you can:

Dust it off. The heated air that your furnace emits will have a harder time escaping through dust-colored vents. An overworked furnace wastes energy and costs you money.

Check for signs of rust or other corrosion. A rusted-out furnace has probably seen better days. Older appliances usually have to work harder and use more energy than their newer counterparts. You might want to replace a rusty furnace with an energy-efficient model.

Check furnace filters every one or two months and replace or clean them if necessary.

Thoroughly examine the furnace's blower for cracks or excessive wear and replace if necessary.

Install insulation. Your home can hide crevices through which heat may escape. Insulation seals those gaps and traps fugitive heat, saving you money and keeping you warmer.

Fill in the gaps. Check for gaps where exterior siding meets windows and doors, along the roof and foundation lines, around chimneys and where pipes protrude through walls or roofs.

Turn down the heat and grab a sweater. Try keeping your thermostat at 68 degrees Fahrenheit during the day in winter months. And consider turning the thermostat to 55 degrees at night when you'll be in bed, nestled beneath warm comforters and blankets.

Close furnace vents in rooms you don't use that often.

Close doors to separate heated from unheated rooms.

If you follow these steps, you will stay warm in your home all winter. You won't even shiver when you receive your utility bill.

(Jeff Betsill, owner of Jeff Betsill Homes, is president of the Home Builders Association of Midwest Georgia, which serves a membership of approximately 395 builders and associate members in Fayette, Coweta, Spalding, Heard and Meriwether counties.