LYSANDER, N.Y. -- Snow is on the ground, and in the air, which means winter is here. Heating your home is important this time of year, but you need to make sure you aren't wasting any heat or money.

To do that, make sure your home is efficient, and that can start from the ground up and as easy as insulating along the foundation of your basement.

"That will make the basement warmer, which in turn will make the whole house warmer. If the basement is cold then the floors above it in the main living area are cold," said Larry Mizro, sales manager for Falso Heating.

It's recommended that you check the filter on your furnace once a month to make sure there isn't anything blocking the way.

"If the system has to work 30 or 40% harder to pull air through that filter it's going to cost you more money, and electricity, as well as natural gas," said Mizro.

Windows and doorways are a common place for cold air to escape your home, so make sure the seals are tight, and simply enough, that they are all the way closed.

"A lot of times people have it there, not all the way closed. You want to make sure that's fully closed and latched," said Mizro.

Since heat rises, make sure your attic is well insulated to keep your heat inside instead of heating the outdoors. Finally, setting your thermostat back a few degrees can always result in savings this time of year.