Ten ways that may reduce the cost of heating your house in winter…
1. Open and close the drapes or blinds: when the sun shines, let its heat in and, when it doesn’t, keep the cold out.
2. Cold in bed? Instead of turning up the thermostat, consider a low-energy electric blanket.
3. Make sure the furnace filter is clean: a dirty one makes the furnace work harder.
4. Try keeping your thermostat set around 20 degrees, max., even if it means wearing a sweater.
5. Close vents in unused (or little-used) rooms.
6. Make sure your attic insulation is up to standard: It keeps heat from escaping from your top floor.
7. Turn off the bathroom fan after a hot shower: the humid air can migrate to neighbouring areas.
8. If you have a ceiling fan, have it turn in a clockwise direction to force warm air back down from the ceiling.
9. Keeping your hot water thermostat around 50 degrees can save about 10 per cent in water heating costs.
10. Make sure there is weather stripping and that windows and doors are tightly fit with no cracks around them.