It has been a while since my last post and I do apologize. With the winter season in its prime here in central New York my time has been switched to mostly home improvement type activities. I enjoy doing new things and trying to learn anything that can be of value in the future so with new home upgrades I have been thinking of other things I could post on here. In the next couple of posts I will be going through some of the different home improvement concepts that I have been thinking about that will not only make for a better living but can also cut utility bills and increase the value of your home.
First with the cold weather we are used to here keeping warm is always a key factor to the winter months while keeping utility bills at a minimum. Some might think that the heat source itself is the best part upgrade but it is also the many other factors that are much cheaper while having a greater impact. The best place to start is the windows and doors. Around the edges of these might not always have the best seals which can allow in drafts that lose heat and create a chill. I found if you have a window that is older the best bet is to clean out the older silicone seal on the inside and outside then reapply a new seal around the window. This might need to done and the inside of the window as well as the inside and outside of the window frame. Be sure to use the proper silicone for best results.
The next step I would take is to look at the insulation in your attic, crawl space, or the space directly under your roof. After a while insulation can break down and fall off its backing in places leaving voids where warm air can escape threw your roof vents. There needs to be air flow for your roof to last whether it be roof vents in the roof or at the top of your roof and the eaves. With this cool air from the outside you need a good barrier to keep the warm air in and the cool air out. Insulation is fairly cheap and can keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer so if you are replacing some older insulation or simply putting more up it is always a good route to go.
Those are a couple cheap things you can do to increase the efficiency of your house to keep your warm in the winter and save some money in the long run. One thing I have been looking at getting for a more impulse helpful gadget is the Nest Learning Thermostat. 
The Nest is a very cool interactive "learning" thermostat. This is the second generation which has been fine tuned but also can have software updates just like a smartphone. It also has an iphone app so you can have all the controls in the palm of your hand. This is a definite buy in my book and with the cost not being too insane at $250 and even cheaper for the first generation i think the long term advantages of this thermostat are well worth it. 
