| Are you ready for the cool evenings to turn into | | | | guests to help heat your house :-) |
| cool days and cold nights and, gulp, snow? | | | | Basement Wall Insulation - Finishing a basement |
| Now is as good a time as any for you to start | | | | with adequately insulated finished walls against the |
| thinking about how to reduce your heating bills this | | | | poured concrete foundations. |
| winter. Before you know it, you will be shoveling | | | | Solar Space Heating - Not as exotic as you might |
| the white stuff from your sidewalk and driveway. | | | | think. One of my favourites that we are looking |
| First, if you have not done so, sign up for a home | | | | into for our home. This device recycles the air |
| energy assessment / energy audit. Canadians are | | | | from the inside of the house to a 4 foot X 7 |
| lucky because they can participate in the | | | | foot panel on the outside of the south wall or |
| ecoENERGY Retrofit program. An energy audit / | | | | roof of the home to heat the air strictly by the |
| assessment on your home will identify the | | | | sun. The only moving part is a fan that can be |
| different areas consuming energy inefficiently that | | | | solar powered! Free heating during the day, wow! |
| you can take action on. | | | | Close Vents - Close vents in rooms not being |
| Next, attend local energy conservation fairs to | | | | used. That way hot air from the furnace will not |
| learn about the latest and greatest energy | | | | go to heating a room no one uses. |
| conservation techniques and materials. Even fall | | | | Vent Blockers - Cheap (less than $4 for a pair) |
| State, County or city fairs all seem to have these | | | | way to more efficiently block heated air from |
| days areas devoted to energy conservation. | | | | entering an unused room. |
| Now comes the multitude of tactics; that is, what | | | | Interior Caulking - Check for any spaces around |
| specifically can you do? Well, what is important to | | | | door frames, window frames, basement areas |
| you? Financial payback? The cost of the energy | | | | where cold air from the inside can get into the |
| saving step? How complex it is to do? How often | | | | house and hot heated air can leave. Use |
| you need to do it? | | | | appropriate caulking to seal in these leaks. |
| Everyone has different priorities in that regard. | | | | Exterior Caulking - Same as above but on the |
| What is listed below are the home energy | | | | outside of the house. |
| conservation tips we have collected over the past | | | | Weather Stripping - Ensure adequate weather |
| year which relate specifically to reducing energy | | | | stripping is around all door frames, including any |
| consumption in your home in cold weather. We | | | | doors to the cold cellar in the basement which has |
| hope you find at least some of these useful and | | | | direct opening inside the cold cellar to the outside; |
| take action now. | | | | if not, install new or replace what is there with |
| High Efficiency Furnace - Use less energy to heat | | | | new weather stripping. |
| your house with a more efficient furnace. Yes, | | | | Attic Insulation - Ensure you have sufficient attic |
| more costly than a 'regular' furnace, but in certain | | | | insulation to keep more of the heated air inside |
| areas, and in all of Canada for home owners | | | | the house. Again, Canadians are lucky as they can |
| participating in the ecoENERGY Retrofit program, | | | | receive government grant money for adding |
| utility or government rebates are available. | | | | additional attic insulation by participating in the |
| Furnace Tune-Up - Have an authorized technician | | | | ecoENERGY Retrofit program, per the program's |
| clean and tune-up your home's furnace so it is | | | | details. |
| operating efficiently | | | | ENERGY STAR Rated Windows - Superior |
| Furnace Air Filter - A good time to replace the air | | | | windows help prevent leakage of heated air. |
| filter in your furnace. A dirty air filter makes your | | | | Secure Fireplace Dampers - When not in use, |
| furnace work harder, consuming more energy. | | | | leaving a fireplace damper open is nothing more |
| Programmable Thermostat - Use technology to | | | | than a big hole in the wall for heated air to |
| help automate your desired temperature settings | | | | escape. Even when closed, if not closed securely, |
| in your home, especially to automatically reduce | | | | heated air can still escape through the chimney. |
| the temperature at night when sleeping and during | | | | Solar Radiant Floor Heating - While not cheap, |
| the day when no one is usually home. | | | | using the sun to head the floor of your home |
| Basement Floor Insulation - If you are finishing | | | | both saves the furnace from being used as much |
| your basement, rather than placing lynolium on the | | | | and reduces the dryness inside the house caused |
| cold concrete, consider a basement flooring | | | | by forced air heating. |
| system that uses a vapour barrier to help keep | | | | For more home energy conservation suggestions |
| the moisture and cool air from the ground from | | | | and home renovation ideas that have worked for |
| entering the basement and cooling the house in | | | | us, simply select this link below to our home web |
| the winter. | | | | site, Daily Home Renovation Tips. |
| Hold a House Party - Use the body heat of your | | | | |