Seasonal

eFFiciency
guide
epcor.ca
energy eFFiciency is on
everyones mind. This
guide was designed to
give you practical ways
to cut back on power
and water consumption
ALL YeAR ROUND.
Not only does this save
you money, its better
For the environment!
If you set your thermostat to lower your house
temperature by 3C while youre sleeping and
away from home, you can reduce your household
greenhouse gas emissions by half a tonne.
Installing a programmable thermostat allows you
to preset the required temperature for different times
of the day and week.
For every 1C (35F) you lower your thermostat at
night or while you are away from home during the
day (for a minimum of eight hours), you will save up
to 2% on your heating bill.
Your house will not heat up any faster by raising the
thermostat setting.
You can save energy by not heating uninsulated
areas such as the garage, crawlspace or attic.
As well, close doors and warm air supply registers
in unused rooms.
Electric blankets are a great way to save energy
because the heat goes where it is needed, instead of
heating the whole house/room.
Clean your furnace lter monthly and replace it every
three months.
Install pipe insulation (available at most hardware
stores) on all hot water outlet pipes to cut down on
heat loss.
Make sure all furniture is at least 30 centimetres away
from all heating vents. Check to ensure drapes are
not blocking vents and that vents are clean and
completely open for proper air circulation.
Remember to change your light timers to adjust with
changes in daylight hours.
Check all windows, doors, light switches and
electrical outlets for air leaks. Hold a tissue over
each to see if there is a leak. If the tissue utters,
upgrade caulking, weather stripping or in the case
of switches and outlets, take off the cover only
and install specically designed gaskets to cut
down on cold air getting into the house.
Conventional wood replaces are at most 10%
efcient. Check the chimney damper to ensure cold
air is not getting in or have a qualied contractor
check it and replace if necessary. Make sure the
re is completely out before closing it. New high
efcient advanced combustion replaces are up
to 70% efcient.
If youre cold, try getting comfortable by putting
on a sweater or slippers, instead of turning up the
thermostat.
Be sure to position your thermostat where it is not
affected by heat and draft sources (direct sunlight,
hot air ducts, appliances, outside doors, etc.).
Furnaces should be checked and serviced each year
before the start of the heating season.
Check all vent connector pipes for possible corrosion
or obstruction. A vent connector pipe joins the
furnace from its ue collar to the chimney and is
usually metal but can be made of plastic.
If your pilot or gas burners produce a yellow
ame, an adjustment may be required by a qualied
heating contractor. Yellow ames indicate improper
combustion. Occasional orange-yellow or red
streaks caused by airborne particles should not
be confused with true yellow ames.
Check that combustion and ventilation ducts are open
to the outside and free from any blockage.
Never run the furnace with the fan compartment
cover removed. This can severely upset air
circulation, cause combustion and may produce
carbon monoxide.
Furnaces & Heating:
tips For heating & winter
DID YOU know?
If you set your thermostat to lower
your house temperature by 3C
while youre sleeping and away
from home, you can reduce your
household greenhouse gas
emissions by half a tonne.
If your appliance has a fan belt, inspect it for
cracks or signs of wear at the same time you
change your lters.
Install a ceiling fan in rooms with high or cathedral
ceilings to push warm air down to where its needed.
Double glaze your windows. Almost a quarter of heat
lost from a home can be through poorly insulated
window frames and single glazing.
When your wood burning or gas replace is in use,
turn down your homes main thermostat.
If you have a gas replace with a thermostat, keep
it at the lowest setting possible for an acceptable
comfort level. Turn it down when you are not using it,
otherwise the thermostat could cycle the replace on,
even when the room is not being used.
Use door socks long, snake-like pieces of material
stuffed with sand or birdseed to repel drafts under
exterior and interior doors.
Close the drapes as soon as the sun goes down in
winter to keep warm air in the room.
Portable electric Heaters:
Clean these heaters on a regular basis. Space
heaters that are not cleaned present an increased
re hazard due to build up of dust and debris
around the heating coil.
Block Heaters in Cars:
Install timers and power saver cords on automobile
block heaters and interior car heaters they only need
to be plugged in for three hours before starting your
car to be effective. Any longer and you are wasting
energy and money!
DID YOU know?
Double glaze your windows.
Almost a quarter of heat lost
from a home can be through
poorly insulated window
frames and single glazing.
Make sure window air conditioners are the right size
to cool effectively without using excessive energy.
In summer, use small portable fans to cool parts of the
house rather than keeping the furnace fan on all day.
Use a fan with a room air conditioner to further
circulate cooled air.
Schedule heat generating activities such as doing
laundry or baking for the coolest part of the day.
Cook using a microwave oven, small appliance
or barbeque.
Keep a jug of water in the fridge so you dont have to
run the tap to get cold drinking water.
Block out the sun:
Close the drapes during the hottest part of the day.
Install an awning or shutters to shade sunlight
and to keep the sun out of south-facing windows
in the summer.
Surround your home with a green belt.
Trees or shrubs which drop their leaves in the fall
block out the summer sun while letting the suns
warmth in during the winter.
Sidewalk blocks and pavement reect heat onto
the house. When renovating, choose windows
and window placement that will take advantage
of natural cooling.
Choose light colours for the roof and siding.
Dark colours absorb heat into the house.
During the day, when you are running air conditioning,
close the windows to keep the cool air in and the
warm air out. Overnight, turn down the air conditioning
and open windows to get a cross draft. Depending
on the outside temperature, turn down the thermostat
setting or turn it off altogether.
When you are away from home in the summer:
Turn your hot water heater down or off.
Unplug all electronics to save energy and protect
from possible power surges.
Close all drapes/blinds to keep from overheating
the house, especially if you have climate control.
Air circulation in the attic reduces heat build-up.
Ensure attic vents are unobstructed so air can
move freely.
If you use sprinklers, set them up properly so they are
watering the plants, not the driveway or patio.
Water before 11 am to avoid evaporation from high
temperatures. Dont water on a windy day.
Set timers for the sprinklers so they are not running
continuously.
If you use a hose to water, be sure to use one with a
shut off nozzle.
Add mulch around your plants to help retain moisture
and keep plants cool during the summer and protect
against frost in the winter.
tips For cooling & summer
Let your lawn go dormant (brown) during the hottest
part of the summer. A sprinkler uses up to 1,300 litres
of drinking water per hour. If you must water, mature
lawns only need about 2.5 centimetres of water per
week to survive. Place an empty tuna can where you
are sprinkling. When it lls up, you know that you are
done watering.
Let your grass grow a little longer. This allows
the roots to be more shaded so that they hold
water better. Set your mower blades to ve to
eight centimetres.
Leave lawn clippings on the lawn to reduce
moisture loss.
Swimming pools, spas and hot tubs can be big
energy users, especially if you keep your water warm
in cold weather. If you own a swimming pool, the
energy consumption can account for 60% of your
summer bills. Aside from devices that monitor your
pools temperature, components such as pumps and
lters also consume energy.
If your hot tub is old, look into replacing the motor
with a newer, energy-efcient model.
Wash your car at a commercial self-serve car
wash instead of using a running hose at home.
Doing this will not only save you hundreds of litres
of water per wash, but also prevent pollutants
like oil, gas and residue from exhaust fumes
from entering storm drains.
If you do wash your car at home, use a bucket
and a hose with a shutoff nozzle. It is also very
important to use a pH-neutral cleaning agent that
is biodegradable and phosphate-free to prevent
harmful cleaning chemicals from being discharged
into the storm drains and entering our waterways.
DID YOU know?
Water before 11 am to
avoid evaporation from
high temperatures.
epcor.ca