Get Winter-Ready: A Home Checklist for Better Comfort & Efficiency
10/30/2026
Winter’s right around the corner, and early home prep is all about finding efficient ways to keep your home warm. From DIY maintenance and easy upgrades to energy-saving tips and payment resources, this checklist offers ways for you to use energy wisely and create a welcoming space for cozy evenings and all the season has to offer.
Need a handy guide for your home walkthrough? Download and print our Winter-Ready Checklist to help prepare for the colder months.
Check Your Heating Equipment for Safety & Efficiency
A few simple upgrades and routine seasonal tasks can help keep your home safe and comfortable during heating season.
Schedule Annual Appliance Inspections: Have a licensed HVAC professional tune up your natural gas appliances to keep them operating at peak performance.
Test Alarms: Ensure your home has working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, and replace batteries as needed.
Open Vents & Change Filters: Make sure supply and return vents, registers, and radiators are open and free of obstructions, including furniture, rugs, and curtains. Also, replace your heating system’s air filters regularly.
Keep the Warmth in and Cold Out
Once your heating system is inspected and working well, enhance your home’s energy efficiency by reducing heat loss.
Seal Gaps: Use caulking and weatherstripping around windows and doors to keep heat in and cold air out.
Use Thermal Curtains: For older windows that may leak air, thermal curtains can create a barrier against the outside cold. Don’t forget to open them during the day to let in the sun’s warmth.
Assess Your Insulation: If your home still feels chilly, it may be time to upgrade your insulation. Make sure your walls, floors, and attic are properly insulated with the appropriate thermal resistance (R-value) for each area.
Make Smart Adjustments to Your Indoor Temperature
Your thermostat is essentially the control center for your winter energy use, and taking small steps can help you use it efficiently.
Lower Your Thermostat: Even a few degrees can lead to significant savings in cold weather. If your health allows, wear warm layers and lower your thermostat by one or two degrees to stay warm for less.
Create a Custom Schedule: Program your thermostat to match your routine, reducing energy use when you’re away or sleeping and prioritizing warmth when you’re most active.
Install a Smart Thermostat: Use real-time energy tracking and precise temperature control to improve comfort and efficiency.
Save Energy With Simple Changes at Home
Small daily habits can have a big impact on your winter energy use. Stay cozy without the cost with these ways to save around your home.
Reverse Your Ceiling Fan: Reverse your ceiling fan to spin clockwise to circulate warm air better.
Adjust Your Water Heater: Set the temperature to 120°F for comfortable, cost-effective hot water.
Wash Clothes in Cool or Cold Water: Enjoy clean clothes while conserving energy, and wash and dry multiple loads back-to-back for greater efficiency.
Air Dry Dishes: Dishwashers need heat to clean effectively, but disable the heated dry feature and let your dishes air-dry.
Upgrade Your Comfort With High-Efficiency Appliances
Winter’s easier with high-efficiency natural gas appliances, from furnaces that deliver fast, high-output heat to water heaters that provide a continuous supply of hot water. If you’re considering equipment upgrades, our rebates make it more affordable to upgrade to high-efficiency appliances.
Prepare for Winter Storms by Installing a Generator
A permanently installed natural gas generator offers warmth and peace of mind by providing uninterrupted power during electrical outages. Because it connects directly to your home’s natural gas supply, there’s no need to store gasoline or diesel—or venture out in winter storms to refuel. And since a natural gas generator can fuel your entire property, you can rely on warmth and hot meals during the harshest winter storms.
Take some stress out of the season by managing your account online and using our convenient billing resources.
Create an Online Account: Manage your bill and payment settings with ease and track your energy usage to see month-to-month fluctuations. It’s a simple way to stay in control of your bills. If you don’t yet have an online account, register here to get started.
Set Up AutoPay: Automatically pay your bill on its due date each month with AutoPay. Reliable and easy to use, it offers the peace of mind of knowing you’ll avoid late payments and fees.
Sign Up for Paperless Billing: Paperless Billing makes it easy to manage your natural gas bill with convenient electronic delivery, so you can access it whenever it works for you.
Sign Up for Budget Billing: Our Budget Billing plan helps reduce seasonal billing fluctuations by spreading your natural gas costs throughout the year based on your energy usage history. Enrolling before winter helps you avoid unexpected seasonal spikes and budget more easily with improved bill predictability.
We want to make sure you have the resources you need to stay warm and cozy throughout the season. If you’re worried about utility costs during the heating season, assistance may be available through our services, as well as local and state programs.
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