Keeping your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer accounts for about 23% of the average Saskatchewan homeowner's power use.

Heating & cooling tips

Warm up to great winter savings

It's possible to maintain a comfortable temperature and still save power. Here's how:

Thermostats

• Set your thermostat lower in the winter.
• Install a programmable thermostat that you can set to automatically lower the temperature when you normally leave the house or go to bed. You can also set it to automatically raise the temperature when you get up in the morning.
• Make sure not to install thermostats near windows or doors, since outside drafts may affect their ability to control the temperature.

Space Heaters

• Turn off your space heater when you leave the room or go to bed at night.
• A space heater used 8 hours a day can cost over $21 a month to operate, making it one of the worst winter power culprits.

Easy heating tips

• Open curtains and blinds during the day to let heat in, and close them at night to help keep the heat inside your home.
• Vacuum baseboard heaters at least twice a year to prevent dust from building up, so heat can more easily move through your house.

Furnaces

• Clean your furnace filter regularly and make sure your chimney and outdoor vents are not blocked.
• Have a trained professional inspect your furnace in the fall every year to make sure it is working efficiently. If your furnace is taken care of, it will be safer, use less electricity and cost less to operate.
• If your furnace has a continuous pilot light, shut off the pilot light for the summer and have a technician relight it in the fall, during your annual inspection. An inspection costs around $100, but could more than pay for itself in power savings if your furnace isn’t running properly.
• For more on maintaining your furnace, check out the types of inspections SaskEnergy offers.

Water heating

• Reduce your hot water consumption by up to 50 per cent by using low-flow aerated showerheads.
• The air added to the water keeps the water pressure strong while saving you hot water and money.
• Make sure your water heater is insulated properly.
• Taking long hot showers is an expensive way to warm up. Consider taking baths instead.

Hot tubs

• Turn your hot tub thermostat down if you won’t be using it for a week or more. It costs less to re-heat your water than to always keep it hot.
• Make sure your hot tub cover fits properly and is in good condition. Keep your hot tub covered as much as possible. Adding a floating thermal blanket under the cover will help retain even more heat.
• Put your hot tub in a sheltered area to prevent wind from cooling the water down.

Water beds

• An uncovered water bed can use twice the energy to maintain its temperature as a covered bed. You’ll save money by making your bed.
• Consider investing in a foam pad to cover your mattress and keep the bed’s temperature stable.

Purchasing a new furnace or boiler?
If it's ENERGY STAR® qualified, you do not have to pay PST.

Cool down and save in the summer

Try these no-cost and low-cost tips to keep your house cool when it's hot outside.

• Close your windows and outside doors to keep in cool air.
• Close curtains and blinds during the day to keep out direct sunlight.
• Shade your home and significantly reduce cooling costs by planting trees, vines and shrubs, or installing awnings or patio covers.
• Use a ceiling fan as a low-cost alternative to air conditioning. (If you already have air conditioning, a ceiling fan will help you circulate the cool air.)
• Use your furnace fan to circulate cool basement air throughout your home, provided the basement is dry.
• Clean or replace air conditioner filters every month. Have your air conditioner serviced annually to make sure it is running properly.
• Install a whole-house fan to draw cool air into your home through the windows and force hot air out through your attic vents.
• Replace your air conditioner with an ENERGY STAR® qualified unit and use up to 40 per cent less energy.
• Upgrade to ENERGY STAR qualified windows and reduce your cooling costs by up to 15 per cent.
• Electronics like computers and televisions generate heat. Turn them off when not in use.
• Standard light bulbs use up to 90 per cent of their energy producing heat, which can make it harder to cool your home. Stay cool by switching to energy-efficient compact fluorescent lights.
• Hang your washing outside to dry. If you have to use the dryer, turn it on early in the morning or late at night. Same goes for dishwashers and ovens, because heat-producing appliances have to work harder when it's hotter, making it more difficult to keep your home cool.
• Use a microwave instead of a conventional oven. It produces less heat, uses less electricity and cuts down on cooking time.