Aug. 3--With nearly a month before Labor Day, let's face it: You really don't want to think about your winter heating bills. Not yet.

But autumn can get busy. And with the prospects of record heating costs this winter, a wise investment of time and money in August might give you the most bang for your heating budget buck once the cold settles in.

You want to identify areas where your home is energy inefficient, from your furnace's efficiency to air leaks. A good first step is an energy audit of your house. Check with your heating fuel provider to see whether it offers a free or reduced-rate audit. Xcel Energy, for example, charges $35 for an audit that, it says, typically costs $150.

Private audits can from a quick visual inspection and rule-of-thumb analysis to extensive inspections using high-tech equipment and fact-based heating and cooling load calculations. Be sure to ask what you're getting for your money.

Also, contact your state energy information office or check their Web sites or check the federal Web sites to see what tax credits your work might qualify for, if any.

Short of replacing or retrofitting your furnace with heat pumps or other heat sources, here are examples of things you can do to shore up your home for the heating season, courtesy of the U.S. Department of Energy, the federal Energy Star program, the Minnesota Department of Commerce, the North Dakota State Energy Program, Xcel Energy and About.com:

Furnace

- Tune-up time: Have your oil or gas furnace professionally cleaned and tuned. Ask the service person to recommend and demonstrate any routine maintenance measures you can take between service calls.

- Filter checks: Clean or replace filters for your forced-air furnace or heat pump now, and then at least monthly during the heating season. Even a slightly dirty filter will block air flow and send heat up the chimney instead of into your home.

- Turn off the light: Save some money by turning your furnace pilot light off until the heating season resumes -- if you're confident you can turn it off safely by following directions on the furnace or instructions from a service person.

- Star models: If you're upgrading or replacing a furnace, consider Energy Star models as part or all of your new system. The government says they are the market's most energy efficient and also save money and help the environment.

Attic

- Don't bypass this step: Most heat lost in inadequately insulated homes often is lost through the roof, but don't put new or additional attic insulation in your attic just yet.

First, use expanding foam caulk or other permanent sealant on attic bypasses -- not just in the attic, but throughout your home. They're those hidden air passageways located anywhere two walls meet, including where interior walls join with the attic; in dropped ceilings; or wherever plumbing or lighting fixtures enters the wall or ceiling.