How to get cheaper utility bills in Ontario

Tweet 2 Comments  Email

By: Cheaper utility bills | posted in Compare gas and electricity prices, News & Stories, Reviews |
Date: April 14th, 2012

The smart way to save money on electricity is using it efficiently during the days when the demand is lower than normal. During weekdays, the highest demand would be in late afternoon and early evening when people have arrived home from work.

Postponing the use of electricity late in the evening and during weekends would help lessen the demand. Consumers will benefit if they use electricity to the minimum during hot and cold seasons.

If you want to know the amount of electricity you used in Ontario, you could view it on the Demand and Price Information page where you can see the increase in demand during the day until early evening. If you to start using electricity efficiently, not only your helping the environment but you’re saving money as well.

General Tips throughout the Year

• Switch off all lights, television and appliances in the home when not in use.
• Wash your laundry using cold water as it does a good of a job as hot water. Not only that, it also keeps the colors of your clothes bright and more importantly you save a lot of electricity or natural gas for not using hot water.
• Take short showers rather than baths are ideal. If you take a five-minute shower, it means you are using half the energy used when you are taking a bath.
• Buy energy-efficient light bulbs (LED or compact fluorescent) because they are more energy efficient and they last much longer.
• If a light bulb is dimmed about 25%, you are actually using 10% less energy on the light than it normally does. Note: LED lights are not dimmable.
• Employ motion sensors to turn on the lights for night-time outdoor lighting.
• Buy low-flow shower head to save as much as 15% on the cost of producing hot water. If you have aerators on the sink faucets, you actually lessen the use of water as much as 10%.
• You can use small appliances like toaster oven, slow cooker, microwave and electric kettle rather than the stove.
• Take out your clothes from the dryer and fold them while they’re still warm. This prevents or lessens wrinkling therefore saving energy on ironing.
• Use your shower, washer and dryer and dishwasher early morning or late night when the demands are low.
• If possible, set your dishwasher to run after 7:00 o’clock in the evening because this is usually the time when off-peak prices start. If your dishwasher has programmable timer, take full advantage of it.
• Consider making an audit on your home energy, for you to know how energy efficient you are at home. This allow you to know if your home need any home improvement.

Tips during Winter Season

• Buy window covers in order to prevent up to 25% of heat loss through the windows and these are available in many hardware stores.
• Keep the curtains open at daytime to make sure more sunlight gets in your home.
• Place removable or temporary sealing on the interior windows to reduce heat lost and to keep cold air out.
• Lessen the temperature on the thermostat when you’re at work and also overnight when you’re asleep. A lot of thermostats today are programmable.
• Clean the air ducts regularly and watch out for leaks if you have forced air heating in the home. If you have leaky air ducts, you may actually incurring distribution of energy loss as much as 30%.

Tips during Summer Season

• Properly maintaining your air conditioner will greatly improve its efficiency as much as 5%.
  • Replace the AC filters at least every three months to prevent the dust going into the duct system and improve air flow.
  • Check out the SEER number when buying a air conditioner. The SEER number is actually a rating for energy efficiency. If you buy an energy efficient AC (around 2-4 thousand dollars), it may sound expensive but in the long run you will save more money on your electricity bills.
  • Get your AC tuned up regularly and this means cleaning the outside compressor with a water hose and removing the debris that could hamper smooth air flow.
  • Always refer to the instructions and safety precautions provided by the manufacturer. If you can, clean the coil fins, grilles and fan blades and lubricate the fan motor.
• Decrease the amount of time you turn on your AC.
  • It may be necessary to increase your thermostat by 1 degree Celsius which could lower your electric bill as much as 5%.
  • Open the windows during nighttime, turn off your AC but keep the furnace fans blowing cool air. However, you must close your windows and curtains during daytime to keep the sun out of your home to preserve the cold air inside.
• Live green to lower your electric bill cost
  • Grow plants to significantly reduce your energy consumption. If you grow a tree that can shade your central AC system, you are actually increasing its efficiency for as much as 10%.

Here are more tips on ways to save money on electricity and how to get cheaper utility bills.

By: Cheaper utility bills X E-mail:
johnhang416@hotmail.com
Info:
This article is not a legal or professional advice or diagnosis, this is only my opinions. It represents my own personal point of view. This posting does not necessarily represent the points of view of my associates and friends. I do not endorse nor verify the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message posted on this site.Posts by the author (134)
Site:
Info: This article is not a legal or professional advice or diagnosis, this is only my opinions. It represents my own personal point of view. This posting does not necessarily represent the points of view of my associates and friends. I do not endorse nor verify the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any message posted on this site.