With the cold weather arriving fast and energy prices higher than ever, I get countless questions from customers asking about ways to save energy around their home.  What surprises me most is that people think that saving money on heating and water bills require substantial initial costs.  Although this holds true for items such as a solar hot water heater, there are many things that you can do around your house that are very inexpensive or even FREE.  Here is a list of 10 super easy ways to save energy this winter season:

1. Turn off the lights when you aren’t in a room.  Next time you are out driving in your neighborhood take a look at some of the houses.  How many needless lights are turned on?  Such a simple concept but so few people actually do it.  You can take this one step further by adding motion / light sensing timers to outside lights.  This will ensure they are only on when they need to be.
2. Lower the water temperature on your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Install CFL light bulbs.  These bulbs demand much less energy than standard bulbs and actually last years longer!
4. Wash your clothes in cold water.  This reduces the amount of hot water that you use.  Plus it’s actually better for your clothes!
5. Instead of having your dishwasher dry your dishes, let them air dry.
6. Program your thermostat to lower the temperature a few degrees at night.  Set it so it increases the temperature half an hour before you wake up.  If you don’t have a programmable thermostat, go out and get one.  Basic units start around $50.  This tip is like making money while you sleep!
7. Open blinds up during the day and close them at night.  By having them open during the day, you are using the suns heat to naturally heat your space.  When the sun goes down, closing them will act as an insulator to keep hot air in and cold air out.
8. Turn off computers and unused power bars.  Computers use a lot of power even when they are in hibernation mode.  Shutting them down will also make your computer last longer as it does not have to work as hard.  Although electronics are turned ‘off’ they often used what is called phantom power.  This amount may be small but when you start factoring in each electronic it adds up.
9. Take a look around your windows.  Better yet, run your hand under water and feel around the window frame for drafts.  Having the water on your hand will better enable you to feel the cold air.  Once a draft is found, look and see what the cause is; is the caulking damaged or cracking on the outside of the window?  You can also check for drafts from electrical outlets, dryer vents and air ducts.  A drafty house can increase your heating bill by as much as 25%!
10. Finally but just as important, go find your hot water tank.  You will have two pipes coming out; one for cold and one for hot.  Putting foam insulation over the pipes for the first 6 feet is super cheap and will save money on your water heating bill.  You can take this one step further by installing an insulated blanket around your hot water tank.

Go ahead, challenge yourselves!  Take a look at your last energy bill and implement some of these ideas.  You don’t have to do them all at one shot.  Start by even doing one every 2 weeks and I guarantee you will notice a nice difference by the end of the winter.  Nobody likes throwing money away; especially when there are lots of ways you can avoid it.  And if you do like throwing it out, feel free to drop your garbage off at my house any day of the week!  Happy holidays and all the best in the new year!

Mitch Parker
Owner – Prestige Property Development
“From creation to completion…professional renovations done RIGHT”
613-668-1330
Mitch@prestige-renovations.com

- Http://www.MattRichling.com

Matt Richling is a sales representative with RE/MAX Affiliates Realty Ltd., Brokerage