With the sting of cold weather already upon us, it's time to make sure that your home is energy efficient. Georgia Power encouragespeople to follow some simple energy conservation tips to help reduce those winter bills.

•Keep the theromostat on your heating system at the lowest comfortable setting. Georgia Power recommends 68 degrees Fahrenheit, because you add five percent to the operating time of your heating system for every degree it is set above 68.

• If you are going away for several days, lower your thermostat to 60 degrees, but not to off.

• Check heating system filters at least monthly and clean and change them as needed. Dirty filters can increase operating costs significantly, damage equipment and reduce efficiency.

• Be sure that the heating registers and vents are not blocked by draperies or furniture. The vents should be cleaned regularly with a vacuum or broom.

• On sunny days, open drapes and blinds to allow solar heat to warm the house. Keep drapes and blinds closed on cloudy days and at night. Use insulated or heavy curtains on windows facing the north side of the house.

• Cover bare floors. Carpeting adds to comfort and heat retention, especially if there is little or no floor insulation.

• Use a humidifier to keep your home more comfortable. It allows you to reduce the thermostat setting without feeling cold.

• Reverse the direction of your cieling fans so that the blades push the warm air down into the room. Fans should turn clockwise in the summer and counter-clockwise in the winter.

• Insulate your water heater with at least R-6 insulation. You can save enough money on energy bills to cover the cost of materials in just a few months and then just keep on saving.

Georgia Power is the largest subsidiary of the Southern Company, thenation's largest generator of electricity. The company is an investor owned, tax paying utility, serving customers in 57,000 of the state's 59,000 square miles. Georgia Power's rates are more than 15 percent below the national average and its 1.8 million customers are in all but six of Georgia's 159 counties.

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