HEMLOCK TOWNSHIP -- There's no place like home, especially when it's this cold outside. With temperatures below 20 degrees, staying inside is a welcome thing. That's why it's important to make sure your house is as warm as it should be.
Newswatch 16 stopped by Lowes near Bloomsburg. Assistant Manager Eric King says first and foremost, make sure you have enough insulation in your walls.
"Make sure all the cracks are sealed with, let's say, spray foam or caulk. That will save a lot of money also because it will actually keep the heat in," King said.
As for windows, energy-efficient windows are good at keeping heat inside. But for a quick fix, shrink film goes on windows to keep the warm air indoors where it belongs.
Some other things that help keep your house warm in the winter are energy-efficient blinds for your windows.
"They're energy-efficient to the point where you put them on and they block some of that air flow," King said.
King says it's also important to have a good thermostat. Certain models can save you up to 12 percent on your heating bill. He recommends what is called a learning thermostat. That means they learn your routine.
"Go down to whatever temperature you deem necessary whether it be 60 or 65. Then when you get home at 3:30, it will automatically learn that when you get home at 3:30, it will go back up to 68,69 degrees or whatever temperature you like," King said.
As for pipes, King recommends wrapping them in heat tape so they don't burst.