Fight Winter Chills While Helping the Environment and Saving Money

Conservation Tips to Help Ontarians Manage Energy Use, Cut Costs

By Karen Shardlow –

Chris Bentley
Ontario Energy Minister

The start of a new year is the perfect time to introduce new routines into our daily energy use.

“Small actions can go a long way in helping Ontario families manage electricity use and cut energy costs,” says Ontario Minister of Energy, Chris Bentley.  “It’s important to remember that the least expensive type of energy is the energy we don’t use. “

Conservation is the easiest way for Ontarians to manage energy use and costs, while helping protect the environment. By following these ten conservation tips, you can save on your household energy costs when old man winter pays a visit.

1.       Install a programmable thermostat: When properly set, a programmable thermostat can reduce heating and cooling costs by up to 10 per cent. Set your thermostat to 20°C when you’re at home and 18°C when sleeping or away.

2.       Reduce drafts: Installing weather stripping and caulking around windows, doors and dryer vents and insulated plates on outlets can help save up to 30 per cent a year on heating costs.

3.       Service your furnace: Have a qualified technician service your furnace on a regular basis to ensure it is working at maximum efficiency. Clean or change the filter regularly because a dirty filter reduces airflow and makes the furnace work harder to circulate the air

4.       Go off-peak: Take advantage of lower energy prices during off-peak hours. Off-peak hours are 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. on weeknights and all-day on weekends as well as statutory holidays.

5.       When not in use turn off the juice: Devices like computers, TVs, and cell phone chargers continue to consume small amounts of electricity unless they are unplugged. Try plugging these items into a power bar with a switch or timer, so you can easily turn them off when they are not needed.

6.       Lock in the heat: Close heat registers and doors in unused areas of the house and prevent warm air from escaping by closing the fireplace damper.

7.       Save energy on lighting: replace your incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).  These lights use 75 per cent less electricity than incandescent.

8.       Cover water pipes: Pipe insulation will help maintain the water temperature and allow you to turn the water heater down, which saves energy.

9.       Let the sun shine in: Keep your curtains open during the day to draw in sunlight. Solar energy can help naturally warm your home.

10.   Reconfigure for warmth: Change the furniture configuration to ensure heat vents, radiators or baseboard heaters are not obstructed by furniture.

Through conservation, Ontario has already achieved over 1,900 megawatts of energy savings since 2005. That’s the equivalent of over 600,000 homes being taken off the grid.  Conservation is an important part of Ontario’s plan to lower greenhouse gas emissions, clean up the air we breathe, and transition to a clean, reliable modern electricity system.

When we all pitch in, small actions can make a big difference. For more information on how you can help build a culture of conservation in your home or business, visit saveONenergy.ca.