The dead of winter, miserable as this one has been, is the time when preventive maintenance to your heating system pays off. We hope you’re remembering furnace filter changes monthly or as often as your particular system needs them. Otherwise, a well-maintained system should be purring along, allowing you to dream of the day when we’ll finally need A/C again.

Programmable thermostats may be the most intelligent household devices you can purchase for your home. They pay dividends the first day you use them and features on newer devices go far beyond just temperature settings. Prices vary, but the choice to switch to programmable is not difficult once you know about the features and energy savings possible with these units.