Are Your Heating Bills Leaving You Out In the Cold?
How to Slash Electricity and Gas Bills During Canadian Winters
By Carmen Chan
Between turning up the thermostat to plugging in extra lights or an electric blanket to stay cozy, Canadian winters can put a serious dent in your budget. If you’re trying to pay off debt, you may be thinking of ways to lower heating costs and save on winter energy bills.
Over 60 percent of the average Canadian households’ energy usage is dedicated to heating – with some energy estimates suggesting that heating costs homeowners more than $1,100 each year. And longer nights, rising energy rates, and extreme weather have meant that we’ve been paying more than ever before on simply heating our homes.
Fifteen percent of Canadians said they had to reduce or forgo necessities, such as food or medicine, for at least one month to pay an energy bill in 2023, according to Statistics Canada data. Another 14 percent of households kept their home at unsafe or uncomfortable temperatures because of unaffordable heating costs.
But there are ways to keep warm this winter, without breaking the bank. Here are 6 affordable ways to stay warm in winter that will help you stick to your monthly budget over the winter months:
1. Seal Drafts and Plug Holes
Although windows and doors can be the cause of up to 25 percent of total home heat loss, you don’t have to invest in replacing these areas to seal heat into your home. A top winter home heating hack is to try caulking and weatherstripping, so you’re strategically sealing gaps and air leaks in the most crucial spots. Try placing your hand a few centimetres away from the edges of your windows and doors to see if you can feel a draft. If you do, simply seal up these areas to stop air leaks in their tracks.
This quick repair can save you up to $600 a year on your bill!
2. Insulate Your Home for Winter Savings
Once again, hot air from your heating may be escaping through the walls of your home. You don’t have to conduct a full-scale upgrade to add insulation to your home – you can use rolled towels and heavy blankets under drafty doors or to seal heating into certain bedrooms and living spaces.
If you aren’t using the guest bedroom, close the door, make sure the heating is turned down in the space, and keep towels under the door to keep heat from entering the spare space.
Your curtains are helpful for insulating windows and keeping heat within the home, too. Make sure they’re open in the daytime to let sunlight into the home (and keep electricity bills down) and close them at night to keep heat from escaping through the windows.
Check on whether a rug or larger pieces of furniture like couches and tables are blocking heaters. Scan around the home to ensure all heat sources have space to let air flow freely.
3. Lower Your Thermostat to Save on Heating Costs
Did you know turning your thermostat down by just one degree can help you save two percent on your heating bill? The trick is to only heat your house when you’re at home. Government experts recommend programming your thermostat to 17°C when you are sleeping or not at home, and 20°C when you are awake and at home.
If you’re a bit chilly, layer up. Cozy up under the heavy bedding and blankets when it’s bedtime and put on an extra sweater, fluffy socks, and slippers when you’re working from home.
Mark your calendar to check on your furnace each year – you may be overdue for a fresh filter for your furnace, which will improve airflow and ensure warm air is making it out of the vents and into your home.
4. Make Energy Efficient Switches Where Possible
From switching to LED lightbulbs to upgrading to Energy Star-certified appliances and home fixtures, Canadian homeowners can save hundreds on their heating, gas, and electricity bills. LED bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy compared to their traditional counterparts, and they last longer – without a detectable difference.
Meanwhile, you can replace old appliances for Energy Star equipment, ranging from furnaces, water heaters, and air conditioning, to washers, dryers, refrigerators, and dishwashers – all of which use far less water and electricity, so it’s better for your bottom line and the environment.
While these upgrades come with an initial upfront investment, you’ll reap the benefits through a decrease in your bills. Check federal and provincial resources for programs that may provide you with a tax break or rebate.
5. Shop Around and Negotiate With Your Utility Providers
Do your homework to see if there are better rates for your gas, electricity, and other utilities. You may find out about promotions for switching companies or that there are discounted times of the day to do your laundry or run your dishwasher.
It’s worth calling your utility providers if you’re struggling to keep up with hefty bills – they make have solutions for saving on winter energy bills or point you to municipal or provincial financial assistance programs created in the face of rising energy prices.
6. Contact your Creditors
If you’re struggling to keep up with winter utility bills and debt payments, call your creditors. Explain to them that your budget is stretched thin and that your recent heating charges have meant that you’re facing difficulties in making the minimum payment on your account.
They might extend a grace period of a month or two for payments, remove penalties, or lower your interest rates during the colder months of the year. Or you may qualify for equal billing and get help all year. Equaling billing means that your bills stay the same each month with either a credit or additional charge only on your anniversary date.
Seek Advice From a Credit Counsellor If You’re Struggling to Pay Your Bills
If the heightened costs of running your home are digging you deeper into the red, consider meeting with one of our credit counsellors. Since 1996, we’ve been working with Canadians, helping with budgeting, creating a debt repayment plan, and consolidating debt payments. We’re happy to share our best tips and guidance with you. Our appointments are free, confidential, and you can talk to a credit counsellor in person or over the phone. You aren’t obligated to take any further action or sign up for anything you don’t want. The meeting is a judgment-free zone with no hidden fees, fine print, or strings attached. We’re happy to help if you’re struggling so that you don’t have go it alone. Contact us by phone at 1-888-527-8999 or online.
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