1. Wear a sweater
You insist on wearing a t-shirt indoors and keeping the thermostat at 25 °C, while outside it is -10 °C … Obviously, you’re going to pay! The best way to reduce the bill and be good to the environment is to put your thermostat at 20 °C and wear a warm sweater.
2. A warm duvet and a thermostat at 17 °C
|
3. Invite friends over
Did you know that each of us generates an average of 100 watts of heat? An evening with eight people give you the equivalent power of a baseboard 1 meter long! Profitable enough, right? |
4. Cooking in instead vs eating out
The heat from your stove allows you to turn down the thermostat … and enjoy both pelasure. And if you get into a fondue, raclette or pancakes, it’s a sure heating bet. Making jams is also a great idea. |
5. Dress up your doors and windows
The joys of decorating… and you don’t need much to help economize on heating bills: blinds and curtains should do the job! Well, it does not save much, but theses still keep the cold from coming in. And if the sun peaks out during the day, you can open them to allow the sun to heat the room. |
6. If need be, put on the plastic
Obviously, this is not the most aesthetic solution, but plastic sheeting can be found in any hardware store and it works. Placed across the openings (windows/doors), it reduces the incoming of cold air. Another major drawback is not being able to open the window… and better not put it on all the windows: you still want to have some ventilation from time to time. |
7. Remove the ice clinging to the window sills
It may not seem like much, but if ice has crept stealthily into your sash windows, cold air will take advantage of the fact that the window is not closed properly to seep into the room. You will find it is best to spend five or ten minutes to remove this ice in the end. |
8. Do your caulking carefully
Did you know that the main source of heat loss in a house is the cold air coming in from the basement and the roof? In addition, up to 25% of your heat loss is due to faulty isolation of windows and doors. Although this may require some important repair work, caulking your windows and doors is still definitely worth your while. |
9. Keep the snow
Do not remove the snow that accumulates around your doors and windows, especially in the basement: it has insulating qualities… |
10. Use your old incandescent bulbs
Of course, we like energy efficiency… But if you still have a few incandescent bulbs (which are no longer in stores), they remain a source of heat in the winter – it’s true! |
