Save Yourself Some Money This Winter!

If you’ve been reading my blogs at all over the years, you know the one thing that I harp on is the efficency of your home. Right about now most of you are starting to pull out your Canada Goose jackets, the ugly Christmas sweaters, and that old warm quilt your grandma made for you. How about prepping your home for the winter as well. In my last blog I gave you a good overview of winterizing your home. Now its time to take it a little bit further and spend a few dollars to save a bundle more.

Give your furnace some lovin! Many people don’t realize that a furnace should be maintained once a year. A furnace is like a car, the better maintained it is, the longer it will last you and the more efficient it will run. Enbridge has some great service plans, look into it. Also, it may be time to change that filter again. I try to change mine 4 times a year at the change of every season. Dirty filters will make your furnace run a little harder. Don’t forget to clean your duct work as well. There are a ton of deals these days for duct cleaning through dealfind, groupon, koopon etc.

Programmable Thermostat. $50-$200. and it will save you about 15% a month on your bill. Here’s the catch though people, you HAVE to use it! In about 70% of the homes I see, the programmable thermostat is never running on a program. Take the time, read the manual if you have to(guys I know we won’t read it) and set the programming features to turn down the heat when you don’t need it cranked up.

Heat only the rooms that you use. The guest room that you never use, the extra bathroom, storage areas etc. All of these rooms that aren’t really used that often should have the vents closed or if electric heat, turn the baseboards off. If you have a fireplace and spend most your time in there in the evenings, turn the furnace off or down for those hours, and let the fireplace heat for you.

Check for Drafts!!! Windows and doors are the devil. The majority of heat loss in a home will come from the doors and windows. In a previous blog I talked about wrapping your windows properly and I will repost that sometime soon as well. In short, ensure all weather stripping is intact and if older windows, consider upgrading the windows, and/or check for upgrading insulation around windows.

Energy Audit? I’m sure you have heard of them already and probably had someone you know have an energy audit performed. If know some people that do them and if you need a reference please let me know. Have an energy audit done on your home, and upgrade where you can. Local, provincial, and federal governments frequently offer tax breaks or rebates for energy-saving upgrades, as do many utility companies.

Take the time, make the changes. Not only are you doing your part to help the environment, but you will finish off the winter with more money in your pocket. Win win.