ENERGY-SAVING TIPS
Experts at Hydro-Québec and The Home Depot have some suggestions on keeping costs down
The frigid winter temperatures send our electricity bills through the roof, but there are lots of ways to combat the big chill so it doesn’t wreak havoc on your hydro consumption (and your wallet). Experts from The Home Depot and Hydro-Québec offer readers some tips on how to better insulate one’s home as well as streamline one’s electricity use more efficiently to lessen a household’s carbon footprint.
AUTOMATION
The first step is turning to technology, which can do all the hard work for you. Today’s smartphones
— and, consequently smart houses — take advantage of programmable features that allow you to schedule heating as well as control your house temperature remotely, even when you’re not at home.
“Automation can help you to reduce energy costs, along with managing the temperature and retaining heat in the house,” said Stephen Vetrone, district operations manager at The Home Depot.
There are many different products to choose from when it comes to heating and cooling automation, and some, like the Nest, even have a feature where it will learn the user’s habits as well as provide them with accurate stats on how much energy is being consumed in a month.
Automation is also extremely useful when it comes to lighting, as you can preprogram fixtures you want to turn on or off regularly, depending on your routine and lifestyle. Automation can also be used to dim the lights.
“We offer kits that allow you to put up to 17 bulbs on one system, so you can program a lot of rooms in your home,” Vetrone said. “If you use that in conjunction with LED lightbulbs, you’re getting good savings throughout your home.”
MORE HEAT-SAVERS
There are other ways to cut back on energy consumption, particularly in the winter months. Given that heating alone accounts for more than 50 per cent of your electric bill, and that hot water makes up 20 per cent, these are the two main areas on which a homeowner should concentrate when trying to conserve energy.
“When you are not at home, or during the night, turn down the temperature by a few degrees,” said Hydro-Québec spokesperson Serge Tsoto, adding: “even two to three (degrees) will make a big difference. Don’t heat unused rooms. Invest in an electric thermostat, which offers a more precise temperature. This can help with almost 10 per cent of heating costs and can represent $100 a year in savings for an average-sized home.”
Clean your furnace and duct work regularly, and remove dust from your baseboard heaters, Tsoto said.
Vetrone agreed. “Changing your furnace filter often improves overall air flow in your home and makes your furnace work less,” he explained.
There are also new smart filters on the market that will send you a notification when a filter needs to be changed. And, surprisingly, they don’t cost much more than a standard filter. It’s an innovative and useful way to stay on top of home maintenance.
Other small projects around the house that will help minimize your energy use include installing weather stripping around doors and making sure there are tight seals around the windows. An easy way to integrate a non-permanent solution is by using removable caulking or small foam kits to reduce air drafts. Or go the old-fashioned route and use plastic around the windows.
“There are also ways to add insulation around exterior walls or put extra insulation in your attic, all to help retain the house heat,” Vetrone said.
APPLIANCES
Appliances in our homes account for 18 per cent of our electricity consumption, which is why it can be so beneficial to seek out those that are Energy Star certified. The Energy Star designation is familiar to us all, as it’s been touted by home appliance manufacturers for years. Energy Star products meet strict technical specifications for energy performance and, typically, are in the top 15 to 30 per cent of its class for energy performance.
“Appliances in your home that are Energy Star rated have features that consume less energy when in use, but also when they’re not in use,” Vetrone said.
According to Hydro-Québec, the refrigerator is the biggest energy guzzler, followed closely by dryers.
BE PROACTIVE
All home considerations aside, one of the best ways to keep your electricity consumption in check is to know and understand your household’s energy needs and usage.
“There is a customer section on the Hydro website (hydroquebec. com) that offers a complete home diagnostic; it’s a free and personalized evaluation,” Tsoto said. “We also have a mobile application you can download onto your phone that monitors everything and evaluates your consumption.”
We all want to do our part to be a little kinder to the environment, and the best way to do that is by cutting down on a home’s overall energy usage. Winter is a drain on hydro demands, so ensure your home is well-insulated and economically heated, with appliances that use as little electricity as possible.
And do your homework — find out just how much energy your household is consuming and monitor it regularly. You may be surprised at how efficient you can be!