Even if the weather outside is already frightful, your heating bills don’t have to be. Here are 10 easy, low- and no-cost ways to stay warmer indoors without cranking up the thermostat this winter.

Open the drapes. The sun’s rays will help heat your home for free. Let them shine in through south-facing windows all day. Then, cover the windows once the sun goes down.

Dress in layers. Add a couple of throw rugs to tile and wood floors, and keep blankets on the sofa. Wear socks and fuzzy slippers indoors.

Humidify. An electric humidifier will add moisture to the air, which makes it feel warmer and helps retain the heat. 

Open heating vents and move furniture and other items away from them so they’re not blocked and can do a good job of evenly distributing warm air throughout the house.

Turn on the fans. Flip the switch that makes the blades spin clockwise so they push heated air — which naturally rises — back down into the room.

Turn off exhaust fans. Kitchen and bathroom fans serve an important purpose — they clear the air of humidity and odors. But once the air clears, turn them off. The longer a fan runs, the more heated air it sends into the great outdoors.

Add insulation. Especially if your home is older, the attic insulation might have fallen out of place and even diminished over the years. That could mean heat is escaping through the roof.

Tune up your furnace. Call a professional HVAC technician to inspect and repair your system and change its filters.

Lower the temperature at bedtime. Throw an extra blanket on your bed and turn the thermostat down 10 degrees before you turn in. You could save up to 10 percent on your heating bill if you let your house cool off a bit for eight hours.

Close the fireplace damper once the fire dies down. An open damper when the fireplace is not in use lets warm air escape through the chimney.