It’s cold outside and for many people, it’s not all that toasty inside either.

In the next few weeks, utility bills will reflect the cold weather, but there are a few things city residents can do to help take the sting out of the high cost of cold weather.

“When people call about a high gas bill, the first thing I ask them is what they have their thermostat set on,” said Patrick Bowie, director of utilities for the city of LaGrange. “You’d be amazed how many people keep it at 75 degrees or higher. It makes a big difference.”

The U.S. Department of Energy recommends keeping thermostats no higher than 68 degrees in the winter.

“Every degree below 68 is money in your pocket,” said Bowie, who has a programable thermostat in his house that puts the heat at 60 degrees during nighttime hours.

The good news is that although the cold weather will increase utility bills, natural gas prices are significantly lower than in the past few years.

“A couple of years ago we paid $9 or $10 for 1 million BTUs, and now it’s in the range of $5. We pass that directly on to the consumer,” Bowie said.

There are other ways to save on heating bills, including regularly changing furnace filters and keeping window curtains open when the sun is shining.

Levelized billing also can help customers manage their bills. Customers who have good credit with the city can sign up for the program that averages a year’s worth of utility bills. That way, bills are about the same each month.

“If you sign up today, we’ll take the current bill and the last 11 months and average them out. That means you’ll pay a little more during the spring and fall, but less during the winter and summer when the bills are the highest. It all averages out at the end of the year,” Bowie said.

Customers who sign up for levelized billing will see the change on the following month’s statement.

Those who have overdue utility bills don’t have to worry about having their utilities turned off this week. City policy dictates that if the temperature is forecast below freezing within 24 hours, utilities will not be shut off.

Breaking water pipes are another cold weather hazard.

Both plastic and copper pipes can freeze and crack, at home and in the ground.

“We’ve had significant water breaks going on for weeks. It tends to be more frequent when the weather gets cold and then again when it warms up,” Bowie said. “Some of our mains go back to the early 1900s, so we fix breaks throughout the year.”

Insulating exposed pipes in houses and businesses helps protect against freezing, as well as allowing a trickle of warm water drip overnight, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.

— To sign up for levelized billing in the city of LaGrange, e-mail utilities@ lagrange.net or call (706) 883-2030.

Save on your utility bill by:

— Setting your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower in the winter and 78 degrees or higher in the summer.

— Turn off lights when you leave a room.

— Keep blinds and drapes open in the winter to let the sun in, but close them in the summer to reduce heat gain.

— Wait until your dishwasher or clothes washer is full before running.

— Use cold water rather than hot water whenever possible.

— Use gas appliances rather than electric to reduce operating costs.

— Repair leaky faucets and toilets. A 1/16-inch diameter leak can waste up to 24,000 gallons of water in a month.

— Insulate pipes in your home’s crawl spaces and attic. The more insulation you use, the better protected you are.

— Let warm water trickle overnight, preferably from a faucet on an outside wall.

— Open cabinet doors to allow heat to get to uninsulated pipes under sinks and appliances near exterior walls.

Sherri Brown can be reached at sbrown@ lagrangenews.com or at (706) 884-7311, Ext. 240.