STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT WE SPEND 80 PERCENT OF OUR TIME IN ONLY 20 PERCENT OF THE HOUSE. SO, IT MAKES SENSE, TO SAVE ENERGY, WE ONLY HEAT AND COOL THE 20 PERCENT THAT WE'RE USING. BACK WHEN PEOPLE HAD FIREPLACES AS THEIR ONLY HEAT SOURCE, THEY USED TO LIGHT A FIRE IN ONLY THE ROOMS THEY WERE USING. THAT WAS THEIR FORM OF ZONE HEATING. WE CAN ZONE HEAT OUR HOMES AS WELL, USING THE CENTRAL HEATING AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM. SIMPLY BY SHUTTING DOWN THE VENTS IN THE ROOMS WE'RE NOT USING, WE CAN SAVE A TON OF ENERGY. SHUTTING THEM DOWN 75 PERCENT CAN BE EFFECTIVE. DON'T SHUT IT ALL THE WAY DOWN, FOLKS, BECAUSE IT CAN AFFECT THE INDOOR AIR QUALITY OF THE HOUSE.<br>

NOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING THROUGH YOUR HOME ADJUSTING THE VENTS, MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR THERMOSTAT IS - PROBABLY IN A HALLWAY LIKE MINE. WE DON'T LIVE IN THE HALLWAY. BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE TO LEAVE THE VENT OPEN NEAREST TO THIS OR IT IS GOING TO THINK IT'S COLD AND THE FURNACE IS JUST GOING TO RUN AND RUN.

NOW ANOTHER WAY TO ACCOMPLISH ZONE HEATING IS TO HEAT EACH ROOM INDIVIDUALLY. OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN DO THAT BY COMING TO THE STORE AND PICKING UP A SPACE HEATER. YOU COULD PICK UP ONE SPACE HEATER - PUT IT IN THE LIVING ROOM WHILE YOU'RE WATCHING TV. UNPLUG IT; TAKE IT THE BEDROOM WHILE YOU'RE SLEEPING. OR YOU CAN PICK UP A COUPLE OF THEM - MAYBE A SMALL ONE FOR THE BATHROOM. GO WITH A BIGGER ONE FOR A LARGER ROOM.<br>