Four ideas to ease off your winter heating costs

Canadians are no stranger to the cold, and most would agree that lots of time goes into preparing for winter. A recent survey conducted by Angus Reid on behalf of Direct Energy found that only 25 per cent of Canadian homeowners listed booking a furnace maintenance as a priority. Meanwhile,  57 per cent of those surveyed said they feel concerned or angry about their upcoming winter heating bills.

Direct Energy has a few additional energy efficient actions to add to the winter preparation list:

1. Boost insulation:  Boosting insulation in the attic and basement is an effective way to cut down on heating costs. Rule of thumb is approximately 12 inches of insulation in the attic – and check your basement headers have insulation too.

2. Temperature control:  Install a programmable thermostat, set to lower the temperature overnight and during the day when the house is empty.

3. Turn down and circulate: Put on a sweater, lower the temperature by a couple of degrees and remember your ceiling fan -  for cold, winter months, the blades should operate in a clockwise direction, helping to push the warm air from the ceiling down into the room.

4. Don't use it? Don't heat it:  Make sure you're not heating non-insulated spaces like garages and crawl spaces.  Also keep your garage door closed whenever possible, and close warm-air registers in the rooms you don't use.

More information can be found online at www.directenergy.com or call 1-866-803-4717.

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