As winter weather continues in Airdrie over the coming weeks, ENMAX has shared some tips to help residents save on their energy bill during the cold season.
According to Wayne Calder, the director of customer care for ENMAX, cold snaps are an ideal time to pay closer attention to your energy use – particularly this winter, with so many people working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“For every 10-degree drop below zero degrees Celsius, the average home uses 40 per cent more natural gas and eight per cent more electricity,” he said.
According to Calder, small steps can add up when considering how to manage energy usage.
“For example, our energy saving tips on enmax.com cover a few simple things such as not putting humidity too high, which can make you feel chilled,” he said. “Also, our Alberta towns and cities rank among the sunniest in Canada, so opening the blinds and curtains during a sunny day – even in the winter – is a great way to let some warmth in.”
According to the website, energy savings can add up in other ways with three simple changes to your laundry routine. Running the washing machine on cold, hanging your laundry on a drying rack and throwing a dry towel in the dryer to help speed up the process are just a few ways to avoid rising energy costs.
Considering most households have a wide assortment of electronics, Calder said the simple step of unplugging devices when they’re not in use helps save on standby power. Keeping devices on or plugged in can add five to 10 per cent of an average home’s electricity use, he added.
“The better you understand what’s using energy in your home, the better you can make good energy decisions,” he said. “Making small changes and seeing how they affect your energy usage on your next bill can help you understand if you’ve done enough, or if you would like to do more.”
Another point Calder spoke to was using proper lighting and sealing during the winter months. He said obvious places to improve sealing include windows and doors.
“A couple of ideas include sealing up obvious areas around windows, adding or replacing worn out weatherstripping around exterior doors,” he said, adding these steps can help save up to 30 per cent on your heating use.
“We also use more lighting in the darker winter months, which can account for up to 10 per cent of household electricity costs,” he said. “Turning off lights when not necessary is always good, but also replacing halogen or incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient LED lights can help reduce your energy consumption.”
ENMAX’S website said Alberta towns and cities rank amongst the sunniest in Canada. The energy company’s website encourages residents to take advantage of solar energy by opening their blinds or curtains during the day.
“This will allow the sun’s energy to help heat your home and take some of the load off of your furnace,” the site reads. “At night, close your blinds and curtains to help keep the heat from escaping too quickly."
Jordan Stricker, AirdrieToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @Jay_Strickz
