Does the thought of winter give you a chill? Cool your heating costs with these hot energy tips

Winter is coming. 

In Canada, those words have an ominous ring, even scarier than “We need to talk.” Not just because of the impending backbreaking snow-shovelling duties. Not because of the day you know you will spend digging out your windshield scraper. Not even because of malls jam-packed with holidays shoppers scrambling to find the best deal that says “You’re someone special.”

In Canada, that winter is on its way means consumers will need to spend more heating their homes. What’s worse – the cost of heating your home is projected to rise. This winter, Canadian can expect to pay about 10 per cent more on heating. But the good news is there are many simple, yet effective ways to cut heating costs this winter.

Small measures add up to big savings

It’s easy to dismiss small measures as just that – small.  What difference can adjusting, say, the power settings on your computer make?  About $40 per year.  Not bad when you consider that a lot of small adjustments add up and in a hurry.  

Time to pull out your sweater – Adjusting your thermostat to a lower daytime temperature by one degree can save up to three per cent on your heating bills, depending on your home design, heating system and insulation.  It’s a fact that many homes are unnecessarily warmed to summer temperatures all year round. Lowering the temperature even more at night will further cut your savings. 

Ceiling fans – Reversing the direction on your ceiling fan will reverse the air circulation, drawing the air upwards instead of downwards. Just as it promotes more efficient cooling in the summer, reversing your ceiling fan promotes heating efficiency in the winter.

Give your laundry the cold shoulder – Washing your clothes in cold water, instead of hot or even lukewarm, will cut your energy consumption dramatically. 90 per cent of the energy used for laundry is in heating the water. Plus, your clothes will survive more spin cycles.

Put the damper on heat loss – Simply closing the flue damper when your fireplace is not in use will save you an extra $190 per year. That’s because when not in use, the chimney still draws in warm air, from your home. Conservatively, you could be spending an extra $50 per month during the winter months to heat the outside air.

Dodge the drafts – Weatherizing and insulating your home will not only cut costs, but increase comfort. Check for cold air drafts and seal up windows and doors with easy-to-install weatherstripping. Consider adding extra insulation to attics, basements and crawlspaces.

Give your hot water tank a cozy cover – Covering your hot water tank with an insulation wrap is an inexpensive and simple way to improve the efficiency of your system. Costing about $20 for the wrap, the energy savings will pay-off in a few months.

Cut back on hot water consumption – Installing a low-flow showerhead, turning down the temperature setting on your hot water tank or just taking a shorter shower will cut down on your energy bills. On average, consumers spend 15 per cent of their energy costs on heating water. If you are considering upgrading your hot water tank, consider a solar hot water heater. 

Let the sun shine – Opening drapes and window coverings to let the sun in will offset heating costs with free passive solar heat. Be sure to take advantage of prime southern and western exposures.

Flip the switch on incandescent light bulbs – Replacing your outdated incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs will multiply the energy savings. A shocking 95 per cent of the energy used by incandescent bulbs goes to heating the bulb. Compact fluorescent bulbs use two-thirds less energy and last up to 10 times longer.

If that isn’t enough to give you a warm and fuzzy feeling this winter, check out these energy rebate and incentive programs.

Rewards for Recycling – The Ontario provincial power authority in cooperation with Canadian Tire has launched a recycling incentive program. Consumers will receive Canadian Tire gift cards in exchange for returning used air conditioners, dehumidifiers and halogen lamps. The program will result in a total gross energy savings of approximately 10.38 million KWh, equivalent to the total consumption of over 12,200 households.

Power Smart Rebates – The Canadian government will provide up to $500 for switching to an energy efficient furnace. In many provinces, the provincial government will match or supplement the rebate. For example, Manitoba Hydro offers Power Smart rebate which doubles the federal rebate.

Project Porchlight – Started in Ottawa in 2004, the project is dedicated to making efficient compact fluorescent bulbs available to consumers through a trade-in program. Consumers can trade their old incandescent bulbs for the newer, more efficient compact fluorescents.

Energy Audit – Often sponsored by gas and electricity utilities or local governments, energy audit programs offer consumers free or subsidized energy audits. A qualified energy auditor goes over your home with a fine-tooth comb, looking for energy leaks and suggests ways to reduce your energy consumption with home improvements. Even when paid for out of pocket, the savings will pay for the audit within a few years.

Rebates – Designed to help lower-income Canadians with their energy costs, rebate programs vary widely from province to province. Ranging from rebates to offset higher heating costs to incentives for purchasing energy efficient homes, find out about the programs in your area.

So remember…winter is coming. But by making a few small changes, we can add up the energy savings and beat the cold weather blues.