Record world oil prices will hit home this winter, with consumers likely paying much higher prices to heat their homes. Natural gas will rise an average of 24 percent and heating oil a whopping 36 percent, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association.

So, now is the time to give your home a “check-up.” Here are a few tips from the Comfort Institute to make your home an energy sipper instead of a gas guzzler. These things will help you save money, improve comfort and help the environment too.

Ask your heating, ventilation and air conditioning contractor to test your duct system for air leaks. Many people assume that windows and doors are the major cause of a home’s energy-wasting air leaks. But according to recent research by the U.S. Department of Energy, gaps, joints and disconnections in the typical home’s duct system are much more significant.

In fact, the typical duct system loses 25 to 40 percent of the energy put out by the central furnace or heat pump. Authorities recommend sealing ducts with a brushed on fiber-reinforced elastomeric sealant. Duct tape, which is great for many things, usually dries out and fails.

Also ask your contractor to perform an infiltrometer “blower door” test. The blower door is a computerized instrument originally invented by the Department of Energy. It pinpoints where your home’s worst air leaks are and also measures other leaks in the overall house.

Most homes have the equivalent of an open window in combined air leaks. Many heating contractors offer an infiltrometer test as part of a home and duct performance test that also checks insulation levels.

Have your heating system cleaned and tuned. A pre-season tuneup is a great investment. It reduces the chances of breakdowns on cold winter nights, improves safety and pays for itself through more efficient operation. Also, be sure to close your fireplace damper, which is equivalent to having an open window all winter long.

Replace your furnace or heat pump air filter, or clean it if it is an electronic unit. Most systems need this done every month to ensure safe and efficient operation. Keep forgetting to do it? Ask your contractor for an extended surface area central air filter that only needs to be replaced once a year. It also does a far better job of keeping your equipment and the air in your home clean.

Install a programmable set-back thermostat. Turning down the thermostat eight degrees for eight hours a day will save 8 percent on home heating costs. An easy way to take advantage of these savings is to lower the thermostat temperature while away from home or when you’re sleeping. Ask your heating contractor about newer models on the market, which are much easier to program.

Consider replacing your old furnace or heat pump. Just like a car, heating and cooling equipment doesn’t last forever. Is your system more than 12 years old? Planning to stay in your home more than a few years? Many authorities recommend replacing it before it fails permanently.

New units can pay for themselves over time since they are often up to twice as energy efficient. However, government and utility research has found that more than 90 percent of newly installed high-efficiency systems come with energy wasting mistakes. For instance, today’s new equipment is drastically compromised if it is hooked up to bad ducts.

For a free report on “How to Identify a Good Heating and Cooling Contractor,” go online to www.comfortinstitute.org. Also, print out the free Comfort Institute report “Tips and Secrets to Buying A New Heating and Cooling System.”