Winter is fast approaching with icy winds and frigid temperatures in Ottawa. For many of us in Ottawa that means higher utility bills that can put a serious dent in your wallet.

Fortunately, by taking a few simple steps before winter officially hits, you can create a more energy efficient home that will save you money and be more environmentally friendly for the environment. It’s time to winterize your home in Ottawa!

Seal any leaks where energy can escape

You can easily retain heat and reduce your energy costs this winter by installing proper weather-stripping and caulking around your house to ensure that energy can’t escape through leaks in your home.

According to Ottawa Hydro, nearly 40% of your home’s heat loss in winter is due to air leakage through the cracks and leaks in the average Ottawa home. Essentially this equates to having a hole in your home’s wall the size of a basketball. This can take its toll on your pocket with increasing heating costs.

After  you have properly sealed your home’s windows and doors you can start to plug some leaks that are less obvious to find. You can easily locate hidden drafts and leaks by holding a lit stick of incense around your baseboards, light fixtures, and electrical outlets. Stronger air leaks will cause the incense stick to glow brighter and push the smoke away while the smaller ones will merely puff the incense smoke in a particular direction.

Get a programmable thermostat to regulate your home heating

It is wasteful and more costly to heat an empty house. This is why you should take advantage of a programmable thermostat to heat your home during periods of the day when you will actually be home.

The David Suzuki Foundation recommends automatically lowering your household temperature while you are away at work or sleeping (just use more/better blankets) and increase the heat in your home when you wake or arrive home from work.