According to industry experts, many consumers can expect to see their natural gas heating bills rise at least 50 percent this winter due to a combination of cold weather and low inventories. Whether you heat your home with oil, natural gas, or electricity, the Better Business Bureau, along with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), offer some tips to help you save money and stay warm this winter.

For starters, conduct an energy audit to help detect waste and gauge the efficiency of your current heating system. Your utility company may offer free or low-cost energy audits, or you can conduct your own. For example:

•Check you attic, attic stairway, attached garage walls and basement to make sure your home is insulated to the Department of Energy-recommended levels for your area. When inspecting and buying home insulation products, look for the R-value. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulating power.

•Wrap your hot water heater in an insulating jacket.

•Schedule an annual inspection for your heat pump, furnace or boiler. Your utility company may provide this service.

•Hire a professional to seal and insulate leaky ducts and to ensure that the airflow distribution system serving your heating equipment is operating at peak efficiency.

•Clean or replace filters on forced air-furnaces, seal flues in fireplaces you don't use, install drapes or some other covering on windows, and seal holes around plumbing and heating pipes.

•Check caulking and weather-stripping, and repair where necessary.

•Close your foundation vents in the winter if there's a crawl space under your home.

The BBB also warns consumers carefully evaluate advertising for energy-saving products and services. Some claims may be overpriced or just plain bogus. Be wary of devices, gadgets, and energy-saving products that promise drastic reductions in home heating costs or extreme energy savings. Check with the BBB before hiring contractors offering furnaces, windows, roofing, or other heat-saving home improvement projects.