Green, Warm & Cozy

We woke up to the first frost this morning and it reminded me that soon we'll have raked all the leaves, dug our winter clothes out of boxes and be getting ready for hibernation time. This year we have moved to a new house and we no longer have a wood stove to keep us cozy. Sadly we must use fossil fuels and electricity so I have been surfing the web for tips on how to save energy . Some I knew, some I hadn't thought of before ( given that I had the luxury of heating up the house as much as I wanted with wood !) So here they are...

• Use your window coverings to help warm or cool your house.
• Wear a sweater !!!
  
• Make your home more energy efficient through improved insulation, caulking and weather-stripping. The less energy you use, the less impact you have on the environment.
• Install and use a programmable thermostat. For every 1° C you lower your thermostat you can save 2% on your heating bill. A reduction of 3° C at night and when you are away during the day provides optimal savings and can reduce your GHGs by half a tonne.
• have your furnace serviced and change the filters regularly, in order to keep it running efficiently. ( filters should be changed monthly)
• Use a ceiling fan in reverse ( clockwise) to push warm air back down into living area.
• Moist air feels warmer so use a humidifier if needed to keep humidity between 30-45 %
  
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