Instead of complaining about rising energy costs, this is your chance to do something about it, local energy company officials say.

"A lot of consumers are looking for simple ways of saving energy," Mutch Usera, Black Hills Power director of Energy Services and External Affairs, said during the recent Energy Awareness Day held at the Rushmore Mall.

The event was a chance for consumers to find out ways to save energy.

"They understand they have to take part in changing their behavior when it comes to energy use," Usera said.

Richard Anderson, a furnace technician with Western South Dakota Community Action, practices what he preaches.

One of the ways individuals can save money on heating their home is to turn down the heat when they are not home during the day and again at night, he said.

"We have baseboard heat, so I'll turn it down at night and then back up again about a half-hour before my wife gets up in the morning," Anderson said.

Anderson said it can get to about 58 degrees in his home overnight.

To make it even easier, individuals can install a programmable thermostat that will regulate the heat throughout the day and night in their home.

Anderson also encourages people to change the air filter on their furnace once a month to help it operate more efficiently.

For people who meet income eligibility guidelines, Anderson and other individuals with Western South Dakota Community Action are available to come to your home for an energy audit. Community Action also can help with heating assistance and weatherization.

The weatherization program is designed to help low-income households overcome the high cost of energy by making their homes more energy efficient.

For more information, call 800-233-8503 for energy assistance or 800-327-1703 for weatherization.

Black Hills Power also offers some energy- and cost-saving tips:

• Turn the thermostat down.
• Put on a sweater.
• Switch off lighting in unused room.
• Keep furniture away from register and grills to allow the furnace to do its job.
• Clean the condenser on your refrigerator and/or freezer for efficient operation.
• Operate bathroom fans minimally.

Low-cost measures:

• Seal and caulk gaps one-fourth inch or less around exterior door and window frames, plumbing, electrical and venting penetrations through exterior walls.
• For gaps larger than one-quarter inch, use a minimum expanding foam.
• Insulate the water heater.
• Place window film on leaky windows.
• Insulate electrical wall plates.

Minimal-cost measures:

• Add insulation to attics and wall cavities.
• Vent attic space for moisture control.
• Replace your old thermostat with a programmable or setback model.

Capital investments:

• y Replace worn-out, leaky windows with Energy Star rated windows.
• y Upgrade your heating system.
• y Upgrade your water heater.