Energy efficiency
Saving energy and
saving money: they're really the same thing. The less energy you use, the lower
your bill will be!
How can you save
energy around your home? Here are some simple ways:
· Install low-flow showerheads and flow
reducers on taps.
· Turn off the tap when you brush your
teeth and save 7-12 litres of water per minute.
· Fix leaky taps! A hot water tap,
dripping once every second, wastes 720 litres of water per month — or 16 hot
baths.
· Put a plastic pop bottle or milk jug
filled with water, pebbles or sand into your toilet tank and save 45 litres of
water a day. Keep the bottle away from the operating parts.
· If you have old single-paned windows,
think about replacing them with new, energy-efficient windows that will help
reduce condensation problems, drafts and outside noise. They'll also add curb
appeal to your home.
· If you don't need a window for
ventilation or as an emergency exit, caulk it rather than install
weather-stripping — it's cheaper, faster and more effective.
· Use door 'socks' — long, snake-like
pieces of material stuffed with sand or birdseed — to stop drafts under
exterior doors with too big a gap to weather-strip. Hang the sock on the
doorknob when not in use.
· Use insulated exterior doors. If you've
got hollow doors, feel the inside of the doors with your hand on a cold day. If
they're a lot cooler than adjoining walls, think about replacing them with
insulated doors.
· Do a 'house check' in the spring and
fall. Inspect all windows and doors for caulking and weather-stripping damage.
· Keep your garage door closed if the
garage is attached to your house. Make sure the bottom edge of the door is weather-stripped
and sealed tightly.
· Use a thermal pool blanket to keep your
pool warm and reduce water evaporation.
· Switch from a wood burning to a natural
gas fireplace heater insert for big savings and health benefits.
· Use your fireplace for 'zone heating',
and only heat the area where you need heat.
· Spread the heat around — use a ceiling
fan to distribute the heat from your fireplace.
· Turn off the pilot light in the summer
and when your fireplace is not being used regularly. If you're not comfortable
relighting your pilot light, have your heating contractor relight it at the
time of your regular furnace maintenance.
· Schedule a checkup and maintenance for
your furnace as early in the fall as possible, so it's working as good as new
when the cold sets in.
· Check and change filters regularly.
They're easy to check and replace. Dirty clogged filters can reduce
airflow and make your furnace work harder and less efficiently. Keep a couple
of clean spare filters on hand. If you have reusable filters, mark your
calendar for periodic cleaning.
· Don't crowd your furnace or boiler!
Leave space and air around it. Make sure there are no combustible materials
stored nearby. Keep things like bleach, cleaning products and aerosols well
away.
· Keep a jug of water in the refrigerator
instead of running the tap.
· Keep the oven door closed — don't peek
while you're baking! Each time you open the door, you lose about 20 per cent of
the heat inside.
· Use the right pot for the right
element: a small frying pan on a large element wastes energy.
· Use the economy cycle to dry your
dishes — or open the dishwasher door to let your dishes air-dry.
· Wash and rinse in cold water whenever
possible.
· Avoid partial loads, and run
consecutive dryer loads to take advantage of accumulated heat.
· Clean the dryer lint screen after every
load. Wash the lint screen once a year with a toothbrush and dishwashing
detergent to rid it of film from fabric softeners.
· At least once a year, check that the
dryer vent hasn't become clogged with lint. Often, screws holding the ducts
together will trap lint that builds up over time.
· Turn your thermostat down to 20 degrees
Celsius during the day and to 17 degrees Celsius at night to save as much as 15
per cent on the heating part of your energy bill.
· Buy a programmable thermostat to make
setting temperatures easy. It will automatically save energy at night and when
you're away from home.
· Try getting comfortable by putting on a
sweater or slippers instead of turning up the thermostat.
· Check to make sure you've got enough
insulation. Extra insulation helps make your home more energy efficient —
keeping you comfortable in winter and cooler in summer.
Learn about more
ways you can save energy in an apartment,
condo or town home in our next issue.
For more information on quick and cost-effective steps to reduce your energy
consumption and save money, visit the following sites:
Canadian Gas Association –
http://www.cga.ca/
Natural Resources Canada-Office of
Energy Efficiency – http://www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca./english
