*Okay, it’s not really free, but in the end, you’ll save more than you’ll spend so technically… let’s just get into it and you’ll see.

Winters are the hardest season on our homes, and our wallets. Keeping us warm and cozy costs money and potentially not just in our energy bills as repairs from seasonal damage are never cheap. Yet, the cost of owning a home in Canada can be lessened by taking some time, expending some energy and spending a small amount of money to get your largest investment ready for what comes. Here are some quick and relatively easy tips on how to winterize your home that will cut your energy bills, and save you from costly repairs down that road. Best of all, they are all free. (kind of)

Clean Your Eavestroughs

One of the prettiest sights in Canada in the winter are icicles hanging off a house. Pretty – and pretty disastrous for the home owner.  Icicles indicate that you have an ice dam that’s blocking water flow and ice dams are usually caused by blockage in your eves. These dams can cause major damage to your eves, and your roof which will cost you a fortune to fix if anything in that system fails. Make sure that any water can flow freely through your eavestroughs to prevent them from forming.

Cost: Other than some work and time, it’s a freebie.

Flush the Water Heater

Particles and sediment can collect over time in the bottom of your water heater, hindering the unit’s efficiency and costing you money – and maybe worse, leaving you with not enough hot water for your family. Cold showers in winter? No thanks! Flush the water through the drain valve to clear out the material and keep your heater functioning at its best.

Cost: Yet another freebie

Clockwise Ceiling Fans (Bob Villa insists this is right – and who am I to argue with Bob Villa?)

Ceiling fans are everyone’s favorite summer budget-saver. But they can help in the winter as well! Have your ceiling fans move in a clockwise direction so they push hot air along the ceiling towards the floor. If they’re going counter clockwise, they won’t be as effective.

Cost: Nothing – if you have a fan.

Replace Filters

Your furnace filter is guaranteed to get clogged. It’s designed to do just that as it is filtering particulate matter like dust, pet dander, pollen, mold spores, and soot out as air is recycled though your heating system. Having a clogged filter means the air flow will be impeded and will make you furnace, and the blower in particular, work harder to keep your house at the temperature you want. Plus, a dirty filter will jack up your heating cost 15%, so they pay for themselves many times over.

Cost: A new filter costs about $10, but since it pays for itself due to it’s lowering you heating bill, it’s another freebie. (See what we did there?)

Draft Guards

Do you feel a draft when walking by one of your exterior doors in your bare feet? The quickest and easiest solution is to get draft guards can slow down the cold air from coming in and the hot air escaping under the door.

Cost: $20 – or, since the next tip is going to tell you why you need to fix drafts ASAP, use rolled up old towels that you have lying around instead. Freebie!

Weather-strip Tape

If you have a draft, installing a draft guard is just a temporary measure masking a much bigger problem. Having a 3mm gap under a regular width door is equivalent to having a 6 cm hole punched through you wall. Get some weather-stripping for your doors and caulking for any leaky windows.  It’s very easy to install and you won’t be frantically looking for your slippers.

Cost: Technically $10/roll or a tube, but again, it pays for itself many times over – so yet another freebie.

Programmable Thermostat

You can shave 2% off your heating bill for every degree you turn your thermostat down during the winter. If you turn the heat down when you don’t need it, like when you are asleep, or at work and the kids are at school you can shave an additional 5% to 15% off your heating costs. That’s real money as the average energy bill in Ontario is over $2000/yr. Most energy companies in Ontario offer discounts on smart thermostats like the NEST, or will pay for them outright. Check with your power company to find out.

Cost: $50 – $200, but again, they save more than they cost, or you can get one sent to you as a promo, a freebie as well.

Tap the Government

Ontario energy companies, in conjunction with the Ontario Government, offer programs to homeowners to winterize their homes for free. Union Gas has its own Winterization program that, if you qualify, you will receive home improvements for free. Last year 9700 Ontario households took advantage of this program. Here’s a link to 54 government grants available in 2017 you can take advantage of to save you money and keep you toasty.

Winter in Ontario is a great time of the year. We’re lucky in so many ways to be able to enjoy it – and saving money while doing it – well that will only make it better.