With heating costs on the rise, here are a few things people are doing to beat high heating costs this winter. Built in the early '70s, this is a photo of Joseph Henenfeld's original house - a 1,500 square foot, well-insulated home that used the latest in energy efficient electric heat for the time. In the coldest months the heating bill would have been around $400. A wood burning stove provided most of the heating needs.