The mercury is about to drop, and gas prices are continuing to rise, but there are ways homeowners can reduce heating costs by winterizing their houses.

The main goal is to keep the cold air outside from coming into the house, said Barry Walthall, the city’s code enforcement manager. He suggested installing storm windows.

There also are some shortcuts that could keep more warm air inside. Seal cracks around drafty windows and doors with weather-stripping. It’s available at hardware stores.

“Another good trick with windows is to keep the window coverings — curtains, blinds — open during the day to allow the sun’s heat in and closed during the night to keep the warm air in the house,” Walthall said.

He also suggested leaving a home’s thermostat at a constant temperature because fluctuations reduce efficiency and could increase the bill. Dusting air grills also is a smart move, he said.

“That cuts down on air friction and makes it a little easier for air to flow throughout,” Walthall said.

Other tips:

• “Make sure the chimney is drafted properly,” Walthall said. “If you’ve got a fire going, you want the smoke to go up and out. If the fire is not going, you want to make sure air is not coming back in. When you don’t have a fire going, keep the damper closed.”
• Protect your pipes. “You want to make sure they’re insulated if possible. … If they freeze, they tend to break, and obviously if they break, you’re going to have a mess to clean up.”
• Pipes under your sinks also are vulnerable. Walthall said it was good idea to open the cabinets to let warm air get to the plumbing inside.
• Leave the heat on, even when leaving for winter vacations. The heat will prevent pipes from freezing and bursting.
• Drain outside water hoses and disconnect them from the exterior outlet. Hoses with water left outside will burst in the cold temperature.

“There are a lot of good things that come when you take care of your house,” Walthall said. “You’re going to extend the life of your house, increase the value of the house, and you’re going to make the neighborhood look better and the city as a whole.”