For the Calgary area, winter means long, dark nights using more heat and electricity than the rest of the year. Avoid draining your pocket book this winter by following energy-saving tips, and while you’re at it, know that you’ll be helping the environment by significantly cutting your use of fossil fuels.
Check Your Furnace
Whether you burn wood, use a boiler or have another type of furnace, it’s time to get it checked out. Call in an expert to determine if your heating system is running as efficiently as possible. Wasting energy on lost heat will drive your heating bills up and waste precious resources.
Program Your Thermostat
One of the common ways people waste energy is by setting the thermostat to one constant temperature, whether they are awake, sleeping, in the home or out of the home. A programmable thermostat allows you to set the temperature lower for sleeping or while you are away all day at work. Consider turning the heat off in rooms that aren’t used at all.
Clean the Filters
Keep your forced-air furnace running as efficiently as possible by cleaning the ducts and filters on a regular basis. Regular cleaning or replacing of your filters will make sure they aren’t clogged with dust and debris.
Add Moisture
Humidifying the air in your home makes the air feel cozier, even when the thermostat is set at a lower temperature. Consider using a free-standing humidifier you can move from room to room this winter.
Insulate
Make sure your home is properly insulated this winter to keep warm air where it belongs. Consider wrapping your water heater in insulation to keep the water hot for a longer period. Cover drafty windows with plastic. Keep yourself warm by bundling up in sweaters and slippers before reaching to crank up the thermostat. Challenge yourself to live greener while saving energy and money.
Consider employing as many energy-saving tips as possible this winter to save money and live greener. For more information on saving energy and money this winter, contact Arpi’s today.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in Calgary, Alberta about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about energy saving tips and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
