Worried about your power bills with heat on the way?

He says bump up your thermostat two or three degrees when you leave the house each day. But no more than that. It’ll strain your system too much coming back down when you get home.

He also scopes out your air filters. After all, your unit has to work harder if it’s packed with dust and dirt, and he’ll snap on a free filter whistle.

[ ALSO READ: Duke Energy customers may have to pay more ]

“You do qualify for a furnace filter whistle for each of your air filters, and ultimately, what that’s going to do is whistle whenever the air filter needs to be replaced,” he said.

And make sure your HVAC’s condensation drain isn’t clogged. Again: less taxing on your system. “You can use Clorox or vinegar, and what that’s going to do is allow that moisture, that condensation, to properly be able to drain outside the dwelling,” he said.

McLaughlin uses thermal imaging to identify gaps in the seal around windows and doors and even makes some adjustments for free, like adding weather stripping.

He even checks the bathrooms. “We do offer showerheads and bath aerators within the program,” he said. Again: free. Both make it easier on your water heater. And speaking of the water heater, he says, “We would recommend the setting to be 120 degrees to be the most efficient.”

And while in the garage, McLaughlin had more recommendations: “You would have rigid foam board, and it would actually fit into these cavities here, and it would essentially drop the temperature from one to three degrees,” he said.

Up in the attic, you may want a zipper tent, a tarp that goes in that rectangle. And he focuses a lot on insulation.

He says go with ‘R38’ minimum or “you could actually go up to anywhere from R49 to R60, which is essentially the most efficient.” And make sure it’s nice and fluffy. Too thin? It won’t do much.

You are entitled to a free home audit every three years. Duke says you may have to wait a few weeks to get an appointment.

But when Stoogenke signed up, he noticed lots of timeslots available. Don’t have time for the in-person version?

Duke offers advice virtually as well. Customers may take the web assessment once each year.

Customers can get up to 65% off ecobee smart thermostats through May 25 in Duke Energy’s online store.

Go here for these:

• Schedule an Energy Assessment - Duke Energy
• Smart $aver® – Rebates that help offset the cost of energy-efficient home upgrades like heating and cooling improvements, insulation, and duct sealing.
• Power Manager® – Provides bill credits to customers who choose to participate, helping them save while supporting energy use during times of higher demand.
• Improve & Save – Let’s customers make qualifying efficiency upgrades and pay for them over time on their monthly energy bill.
• Online Savings Store – Discounts on energy-saving products like smart thermostats, power strips, and water-saving items.
• Usage Alerts – Mid-cycle alerts that show how much electricity a customer is using and what it may cost, helping them adjust before the bill arrives.
• Find It Duke – A contractor referral service that connects customers with vetted professionals and helps guide them toward eligible upgrades and rebates.

Here’s a list of free products the energy expert can install during an in-home assessment. Not every home will need all these, but they’re available to choose from:

• Showerheads
• Kitchen Faucet Aerators
• Bath Aerators
• Weatherstripping
• Caulking
• TSVs 
• Smart Power Strips 
• Foam Insulation Spray
• Furnace Filter Whistle
• Hot Water Turndown

Virtual and Phone assessment participants receive:

• (1) 1.25 GPM Showerhead
• (1) Kitchen faucet aerator
• (2) Bathroom aerators
• Roll of weatherstripping
• (1) Furnace filter whistle
• 6 feet of pipe wrap

Web assessment participant receives:

• (2) Bathroom aerators
• Roll of weatherstripping
• (1) Furnace filter whistle
• 6 feet of pipe wrap
• (1) Refrigerator thermometer