7 Tips to Make Your Home in Alberta More Energy Efficient

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Many homeowners in Alberta are troubled by the rising energy bills in winters. This year has been particularly harsh with record low temperature in Edmonton and nearby areas.

But you can easily reduce the bills without sacrificing comfort by making your house energy efficient.

Improving the home’s energy efficiency does not involve any rocket science. You can make your home energy efficient by following the seven simple tips mentioned in this post.

1. Caulk Leaks and Cracks

Cool or warm air can seep out of the house through leaks and cracks. This can make your heating or cooling device work harder to keep the room at the desired temperature.

Check areas around the furnace flues, chimneys, electrical outlets, pipes, doors, and windows. You should fill small leaks or cracks with caulk to prevent air from leaking outside the house. For areas that are too big to be sealed with caulk, you can use spray foams that you can buy from a hardware store.

Caulking leaks and cracks can make the home energy efficient. This will result in the optimum operation of the heating or cooling device.

2. Buy a Programmable Thermostat

You can buy a programmable thermostat for your heating and air conditioning unit to make the house more energy efficient.

If you have not bought a programmable thermostat, you should consider buying one right now for your home. Energy bills will reduce significantly when you use a good quality programmable thermostat.

A programmable thermostat can be used to automatically change the temperature during different times of the day.

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Consider creating a schedule that following your family’s daily routine. You can program the thermostat to ease up on the energy usage during the night. This can lead to efficient operation of the heating or cooling device resulting in reduced energy bills.

3. Insulate the Attic

Insulating the attic is an effective way to make your house more energy efficient. You should contact a professional to add insulation to the attic ceilings. Also, you should insulate the door of the attic.

Properly insulating the attic will prevent heated or cool air from being trapped in the attic. This will help in reducing the energy bills you pay to Alberta energy providers due to less strain on the heating and cooling device.

4. Focus on the Windows

You can significantly increase the energy efficiency of the house by installing double glazed windows. Also, installing thermally lined draperies or honeycomb shades can reduce the exchange of air thereby retaining warm or cool air.

A cheaper option is to install window film that resembles a plastic wrap. The film covers the inside of the window glass. This will keep the room warm during winter and cooler during the summers. You can also easily remove the film if you want to open the window.

5. Use a Fan

A lot of people overlook the use of a fan during the summers to keep cool. Switching on the fan can reduce the need to set a lower temperature.

Some ceiling fans come with a switch so that you can change the rotation of the blades. Set the blades to turn counterclockwise during the winter and clockwise during summers.

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Turning the blades counterclockwise will push warm air near the ceilings of the house toward the floor that will keep your home warmer during winters.

On the other hand, turning the blades clockwise will push cool air from the ceiling of the house downwards thereby keeping your room cool during the summer.

6. Seal the Heat Ducts

A significant amount of air is released through holes and tears in heat ducts. Consider using foil or mastic tape to seal the ducts.

Make sure that the ducts are as airtight as possible. The heater and cooling device will work efficiently. This will help reduce the bill you pay to the Alberta energy providers.

7. Consider an Energy Audit

An energy audit will help you identify home improvements to increase the energy efficiency of your house. This will help you to reduce energy consumption and cut energy bills.

An experienced energy auditor will recommend ideas that can significantly reduce energy usage. Some examples include replacing incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs, replacing large windows with smaller ones, adding proper insulation, and upgrading appliances.

An energy audit by a professional can help you in reducing energy bills by up to 30 percent. The investment in making the house energy efficient can be recovered due to lower energy bills.

Contact Direct Energy if you want more information about setting up utilities in your Alberta home. Dial 1-866-374-6299 today if you want a power at the bet rates.

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  1. Pingback: How to Ensure Your Roof is Energy Efficient - MyFancyHouse.com

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