During winter months, residents can take other measures to keep warm besides raising the temperature in their homes.

Winter is a time of peak demand for gas suppliers such as Nicor, which services about two million customers in northern Illinois.

The price for natural gas is determined on a monthly basis, taking into account the projected weather and total supply, Nicor representative Corky Wetzel said.

The Northeast was pummeled by recent snowstorms, causing the price of gas to go up nationwide, Wetzel said.

Nicor and apartment owners stress moderation of heat use to avoid high heating costs.

Shawn Yeager, a DeKalb resident and NIU alumnus, said he is doing his part to keep his energy bill at a minimum. He pays a fixed rate of $50 per month for his heat but still limits his use.

“I try to keep the blinds closed to keep the heat in, especially at night,” Yeager said.

Leaking ducts also can cause heat loss, reducing heating efficiency by 25 to 40 percent, according to Nicor.

Residents should have ducts and pipes checked once a year by a qualified contractor to ensure effectiveness. Fixing leaks will keep heat in the house and the heating bill low, Wetzel said.

A programmable thermostat also is a definite asset, Wetzel said. The thermostat can be programmed to automatically turn down at night and when no one is home.

The easiest way to conserve heat is to keep all doors and windows closed at all times. Dishes and clothes also should be washed in full loads to reduce hot water usage, according to Nicor.

Jim Mason, owner of Mason Properties, has informed his residents to do the basics of closing doors and shutting windows.

DeKalb Public Housing Administrator Robertta Aldis said they replaced windows for their residents prior to winter.

Public housing also installed high-efficiency furnaces for the winter season in the family complexes at Mason Court in Sycamore and Lewis Court in DeKalb, Aldis said.

Star Properties has a full-time maintenance staff on call 24 hours a day to fix any broken furnaces, water heaters or pipes, office manager Joe Sosnowski said.

Reporting potential leakages and breaks to the front office immediately will go a long way to keeping the gas bill reasonable, Sosnowski said.