检查一下炉子。 不要等到寒冷的夜晚才打开暖气. 尽早测试以确保一切正常. You might also consider hiring a professional to do an inspection. A fall furnace inspection will stop your home’s energy vampires in their tracks. An inspection will determine if your thermostat is accurate 和 identify leaks 和 proper ventilation. Technicians will check pilot safety functions 和 ensure the burner ignition system is clean 和 working efficiently. See if we offer furnace inspections in your area 在这里.

自动调温器与你“鬼影”； If you haven’t upgraded to a programmable thermostat, 看看我们的银河官网效率计划 to see if you’re eligible for a rebate when you purchase one. Better yet, enter our Black Hills Energy sweepstakes, held Oct. 25-29 on 脸谱网，有机会赢得Nest恒温器. If you already have a programmable thermostat, consider changing your thermostat settings. You’ll save as much as 10% annually on energy bills by setting your thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees during the daytime hours when no one is home. Plus, it’s a known fact that goblins hate cool temps, so you have that going for you, too.

拔掉插头，防止“闹鬼”来访； OK, so maybe you don’t need to worry about poltergeists coming in through your television, but you do about wasted energy from plugged in devices. If you have devices or appliances you aren’t using, unplug them. 如果它们接通电源，就会消耗能量. 考虑将设备连接到电源插线板上, which will let you toggle the power on 和 off in one easy move. Some of those energy vampires that you can block by unplugging include:

• 手机或平板电脑充电器： 如果你不用它们，就拔掉插头.
• 电器: Things like toasters 和 coffee makers suck energy when not in use. 拔掉它们.
• 电脑: Desktop 和 laptop computers can zap energy, especially if they aren’t in sleep mode. 所以在不使用的时候关掉它们，拔掉插头. 既然你这么做了, this is a great time to determine if your devices are sufficiently protected against cyber threats. October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, 和 we’ve compiled six cyber security tips to keep you 和 your devices safe from scammers.
• 视频游戏机： They use energy even when you’re not playing them. 拔掉插头，停止能量消耗.

扔掉旧灯泡： Switch your inc和escent light bulbs with more efficient LED bulbs. They use less wattage, save money 和 we hear vampires hate them.

让阳光照进来； 如果你家里有朝南的窗户, open those shades during the day 和 let the sun do its job heating up your home. 晚上，关上百叶窗，保持温暖.

拜访算命先生： 没有人能预测天气, but any trick-or-treater with a crystal ball can tell you that winter will set in soon. Now is a good time to start budgeting for higher home heating bills during the cold months ahead. We encourage any of our customers who may be struggling to pay their bills to reach out to our customer service team. 如果你担心付不起账单, 你应该考虑注册 预算计费, a free payment plan that averages the amount owed each month. This budget option supports customers looking to avoid the seasonal increases in bills that result during extreme weather by averaging out your usage over a 12-month period. Learn more about this 和 our other energy assistance programs like Black Hills Cares at webcas.caribbeangarden.net/winter-ready.

随着白天和黑夜越来越冷, you won’t regret taking the time to implement a few or all of these energy saving tips. They’re easy, inexpensive 和 they’ll keep the cold (和 spooks) away. 有一个快乐的万圣节季节，保持温暖! 别忘了跟着我们走 脸谱网, Instagram, LinkedIn 和 推特.