Each winter, homeowners spend more money on energy than they do in the warmer months. The days are shorter, and the nights are colder. As people spend more time indoors, they use their electronic devices and lighting for longer periods of time. Plus, they tend to turn up the thermostat more frequently to take the chill off cold winter nights. As a result, their energy bills increase along with their disappointment when they see the total amount due. If you are interested in saving on your energy bills this winter, take a look at the following strategies that you can use to minimize your costs: replacing old insulation, draftproofing, installing programmable thermostats, changing your heating habits, replacing light bulbs, changing furnace filter regularly, wrapping your water heater, and avoiding phantom power.
Steps To Save on Energy Bills In Winter
Replacing Old Installation
If your Surrey, Langley, or White Rock home was built more than ten years ago, its insulation might not be doing its intended job. Over the years, insulation has a tendency to settle and move. If openings are created in between strips of insulation, heat could be escaping. As a result, your furnace is going to have to work harder to keep your home heated comfortably.
Another fact to consider is that technological advances have created options that are more efficient at keeping your home properly insulated. If your insulation is outdated, you could be wasting energy dollars. Having a properly insulated home saves you money all year long on your energy costs. Consider replacing older insulation in each of these areas of your home: attic, basement, crawlspace, and walls. Spray insulation is an excellent choice for walls and tight spaces, while fiberglass blankets are excellent options for larger areas.
Draftproofing
A task that homeowners can complete on their own, draftproofing helps to lower energy costs by sealing heat into your home. Cracks and holes around the windows and doors allow heat to slip out, while also letting cold outdoor air enter. Sealing up these holes and cracks helps to minimize the cost to heat your home, and it also helps to minimize the amount of work your furnace needs to do.
You might be wondering how you can tell whether or not the caulking around your doors and windows has any openings. First, you can check for signs of outdoor light shining through. Secondly, you can move your hand around the perimeter of the doors and windows in search of a draft.
Installing Programmable Thermostats
Rather than heat your home 24/7, why not consider the cost-savings offered by programmable thermostats? Today’s programmable thermostats allow you to program several different settings throughout the day as well as throughout the week. You can program your thermostat so that it:
- Increase the temperature shortly before you get up in the morning
- Lowers the temperature while you are away at work
- Increase the temperature a short time before you arrive home from work
- Lowers the temperature while you are sleeping at night
Change Your Heating Habits
Simple adjustments in your daily routine lead to savings on your winter energy bills:
- Lower your thermostat by one or two degrees, while wearing warmer clothes indoors and an extra blanket to stay cozy. Your body will adjust to the slightly cooler temperature within a few days.
- Close the doors of rooms not in use, so the heat is focused and circulating where it matters most: where you spend your time.
- During the day, open your curtains and blinds to let in sunlight and natural warmth. Close it as soon as the evening approaches to hold that warmth inside.
Replace Light Bulbs & Switch to LED Lights
During Metro Vancouver winters, the sun sets earlier and, consequently, your lights stay on longer, directly impacting your energy bill. If you are still using old incandescent bulbs, it means you are paying more than you need to.
Switching to LED bulbs is a simple way to save on energy bills in winter. It costs more upfront, but LED uses 75% less energy and lasts 25 times longer than old-fashioned bulbs, cutting energy use drastically. Focus on lights in your kitchen, living room, and bedrooms, since these areas typically have lights on for several hours each day.
Change Furnace Filter Regularly
A clogged furnace filter forces your heating system to work harder and use more energy to push warm air through your home.
Different types of filters follow different replacement rules: basic fibreglass filters should be changed monthly, pleated filters can last up to three months, and high-efficiency filters might work for six months, but always check regularly. This simple maintenance task can reduce your energy costs and improve indoor air quality, protecting your furnace from damage, making the air in your home healthier to breathe, and preventing costly breakdowns during the coldest months of the year.
Wrap Your Water Heater & Pipes
If your water tank feels warm to the touch, it means it is losing heat to the surrounding air (standby heat loss). Wrapping your water heater in an insulation blanket can reduce heat loss, so your unit doesn’t need to run as often to maintain the right temperature, saving utility costs. Safety tip: Gas water heaters need special blankets that don’t cover the top or bottom. Electric units can be wrapped completely except for access panels.
In addition, insulating your hot water pipes helps water stay warm as it moves from the tank to your faucets, providing hot water faster and reducing the amount of energy needed to heat it again.
Avoid Phantom Power
Even when turned off, many devices such as televisions, computers, gaming consoles, coffee makers, printers, and phone chargers continue to draw power if they remain plugged in, which is commonly called “phantom power” and increases your energy costs.
The solution is simple: unplug devices when you’re not using them or use smart power strips, which automatically cut power to devices in standby mode. By adopting this habit, you keep more money in your pocket while reducing unnecessary energy waste.
Contact our team at BPM Electric if you have more questions about saving on your energy bill!
