Money Fix: How to save on home-heating costs

Old Man Winter has finally shown up, and he's still in time to wallop your wallet.

The average bill for home heating oil customers last season (October to March) was $2,396, says the Oil Heat Institute of Long Island. It projects it will be $2,733 this season. The average heating bill for National Grid's residential gas customers was $1,025 in 2011. If Mother Nature cooperates, it could dip to $913 this year, National Grid says.

Either way, you can save money with a few smart moves.

Check your heating system's air filter and replace if needed. A dirty filter makes the system work harder.

Wrap hot water pipes with insulation, especially those nearest the heater.

If you have a separate water heater, set the thermostat to 120 degrees. For every 10 degrees you dial back, you cut energy use 3 percent to 5 percent.

A programmable thermostat can save more than $180 a year.

Heating and cooling ducts are energy vampires. Sealing and insulating them can improve efficiency 20 percent.

Adjust your ceiling fan's direction to push heated air back down into the room.

Make sure air registers are clear of furniture so air can circulate freely.

If you have radiators, place heat-resistant reflectors between radiators and walls.

A fireplace is cozy, but most of its heat goes up the chimney.

Not sure where to begin? Start with a free energy audit from National Grid. For more information, go to powerofaction.com/ energy-evaluation.