It’s not quite spring yet.

Oh, outside temperatures have flirted with us here and there, but winter continues to interrupt the party with cold air and, can you believe it, the occasional snow shower? Here, in Arlington & Grand Prairie? Yep.

So, for just a little while longer, you still need to keep yourself and your family nice and warm. And while you’re at it, why not save a few dollars on your heating costs with these self-help tips from Optimum Air:

Challenge your comfort levels. For every degree you lower your thermostat, you can save up to 3% on your heating costs. Comfortable at 68 during the day? Try 67. Used to sleeping with the thermostat set at 66? Be brave and knock it back to 64.

Keep your furnace filter nice and clean. That means cleaning or replacing it, faithfully, once a month.

Take a walk in your attic. Chances are you already know if your window and door insulation is up to snuff. But what about your ductwork? Is it cracked or leaking anywhere and allowing heat to escape into the attic? If so, you can save a lot on your heating bill by locating and repairing those leaks.

Limit your use of kitchen and bath ventilating fans. They do a great job of removing moisture while you’re cooking or showering, but indoor heat goes along for the ride. So as soon as the fans have done their job, shut them off..

Don’t let anything block your vents, registers, and baseboard units. Otherwise, the heat is not going where it ought to be.

Fling open those shades and drapes during the day to let the heat soak in, but shut them tight at night to prevent all that natural heat from escaping.

Keep your vents, registers, and baseboards well vacuumed; otherwise, built-up dust and dirt will lessen your heating system’s effectiveness and therefore drive up your heating costs. .

If you’re doing all this and more to keep your heating costs under control, but your costs are still sky high, then there’s probably something going on inside your system that requires professional attention. And if that’s the case, you can count on the indoor comfort specialists at Optimum Air to diagnose and fix the problem to your complete satisfaction. And to help keep your heating costs on the low side, right where you like them.