PITTSFIELD, Mass - "By raising and lowering it, you can reduce your heat loss by about 80 percent," said Center for Ecological Technology Co-Director Alan Silverstein.

Silverstein is showing how to use an insulated window shade inside his office at CET in Pittsfield Tuesday. With frigid weather on the way later this week, he said now is the time to do everything you can to keep the heat in and the cold out, especially if you're on a budget.

"Windows are one of the greatest sources of heat loss in our homes. Make sure that storm windows are closed up and down in the right position and make sure that your primary windows are locked at the meeting rails," said Silverstein.

An "insider storm window," which is basically a piece of plastic with sealable strips, is another inexpensive way to insulate your home. But if you really want to save money this winter, CET said there's a free solution.

"The first step is to call MassSave and you can get a free energy audit. The utility company will pay up to 75 percent of the cost of having your attic walls insulated, up to $2,000, so it's a good time to take advantage of that," said Silverstein.

Another way to heat your home and hopefully save a little money is to burn wood. But if you do have a wood burning stove, there are some helpful safety tips you should know.

"If you open the door of your wood stove and you're getting smoke back in the room, that's an indication that you have weak draft. Weak draft is usually caused by a blockage in the chimney," said Berkshire Fireplace owner Joe Galok.

He also said if your stove's glass window is extremely dirty, clean the entire stove for better efficiency, because with bone chilling weather on the way, you can never do too much to cut out the cold.