Heating the Home: Spend Money on Gifts, Not Energy Bills

On the bright and balmy day of December 21st, we officially began the winter season. Though the temperature may have been deceptively warm, homeowners should not expect this unseasonably mild weather to last forever. Next week, The Weather Channel is expecting to see a drop in temperature below the historical average, and with this dip in temperature homeowners should expect a subsequent rise in heating costs.

Last year, the average annual utility bill for homes in Canada topped $2,000, and according to Canada’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, approximately 60% of these costs go towards maintaining a home’s temperature. Corey McBurney at EnerQuality, Canada’s certifier of energy efficient homes, believes that Canada’s climate should not necessitate outrageous energy bills. A major factor in climbing costs is a result of heat loss due to holes that allow for drafts where heat and energy can escape. “Poorly insulated homes that let warm indoor air escape require more energy to heat, produce more CO2 and greenhouse gasses, and allow many more heating dollars to leak out the cracks,” explains McBurney.

Instead of cursing the climate and energy companies, homeowners should examine their homes for holes and poor insulation that allow heat and energy to escape, and focus on finding ways to repair and reduce energy loss. Fortunately, there are a number of simple ways in which homeowners can increase the efficiency of their home and cut back on heating costs.

Creating an Energy-Efficient Home

For homes that do not meet the ENERGY STAR qualifications, “the answer is in the details” suggests McBurney. Homeowners should be prudent in checking for drafts around doors and window frames, and ensure appliances and heating systems are ENERGY STAR qualified and well-maintained. If you own an older home, be sure to check the insulation in spaces like the attic, basement walls, ceilings, floors, and crawl-spaces. These areas can leak heat and drive up energy bills quickly.

Homes with large windows can also let mother nature do some of the work. The BBC suggests leaving curtains open during the day to let as much natural free heat into your home in the form of sunlight. In older homes, the BBC also recommends reducing the amount of heat that is lost through an open fireplace by investing in a chimney balloon. These are placed out of sight inside the chimney and help prevent heat from escaping or cool air from entering the home.

Homeowners can benefit from thermostats that utilize smart technology to help regulate the heat in your home. The Nest System, which learns your habits and adjusts the temperature during periods when the house is empty, is effective in lowering heating bills by up to 20%. Nest learns what temperatures you prefer at each time of day and begins to intuit what the home temperature should be set to at various points throughout the day.  Nest’s Away System also helps save energy during extended absences such as during a vacation or business trip.

Via Nest.com

Investing in ENERGY STAR Homes

However, the best way to ensure your home is operating at its most efficient is to invest in an ENERGY STAR certified home. Over the last 10 years, the homebuilding industry and Canadian government have been working to implement programs that mandate better home construction for the production of energy-efficient homes. ENERGY STAR has been making some important strides across Ontario; in the last year alone, almost 30% of the homes built in Ontario qualified as ENERGY STAR homes.

To qualify for ENERGY STAR status, homes must be on average 20% more energy efficient than a home built to the minimum building code according to Natural Resource Canada. This is determined through a quality assurance process where homes are subjected to a rigorous inspection, testing, and verification according to strict requirements. Homes that meet these qualities are not only more efficient homes, but also more comfortable, and durable.  Most importantly, they are less costly to heat and deliver more affordable energy bills during Canada’s harsh winter months.

Across Canada there are a number of developers dedicated to the ENERGY STAR vision and to reducing our ecological footprint while creating more energy-efficient homes. TIMES GROUP “pioneered the first and second LEED® certified residential condominiums” in the York Region and were awarded for their efforts with the Green Builder of the Year High-Rise Award by the Building Industry and Land Development Awards (BILD). Their most recent project, the Key West Condominiums, continues this commitment to energy-efficient housing.

Granite Homes has been implementing heat recovery ventilation systems in their Arkell Lofts, as well as high performance windows, improved insulation systems, and draft-proofing to increase energy efficiency. Similarly, Concert Properties has made a commitment to implement more energy-efficient technology, including advanced heating and cooling systems. Fairgate Homes is another ENERGY STAR homebuilder committed to building with energy-efficient materials, including low E argon high performance windows, energy efficient heating and cooling systems, water-saving showerheads and toilets, and ENERGY STAR appliances.

“The next time you are making a move, make sure you’re buying a certified home,” suggests McBurney. “Instead of searching for leaks and holes in the construction, you only need to find the ENERGY STAR stamp of approval.”