With recent news of rising electricity prices in Ontario, now is the time to consider energy habits more than ever before. You don’t have to upset your routine too much in order to a see a difference on your hydro bill. By following a few simple, yet essential, steps, you can avoid paying too much.
As of May 1st, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) implemented changes to the time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates. Due to an increase of approximately 4.6% on the average household bill, Ontarians can expect to pay 16.1 cents per kilowatt hour during peak hours. During the off-peak hours, Ontarians will be paying 8 cents per kilowatt hour. While the changes may seem slight, the cents do add up; in fact, the OEB expect them to, as the TOU price plan was created as an incentive to encourage energy conservation.
In order to conserve, Ontario residents will have to shift the majority of their energy use to off-peak hours. You should wait to do chores that consume the most amount of electricity until weekdays between 7 pm and 7 am the next day and any time during the weekdays. That means operating washing machines and dishwashers will have to wait until after supper.
How you operate your appliances will also have to change. Homeowners should wait until they have a full load of dishes or laundry before they use their appliances. A home’s central heating and cooling system also consumes a lot of energy. Turning the heater down in the winter and the air conditioner up in the summer can reduce electricity use, as can ensuring they are running at peak condition through scheduled maintenance. Once these appliances are ready to be replaced, investing in an ENERGY-STAR rated product promises maximized energy efficiency.
Your choice of window coverings can also complement the changes to your furnace and A/C settings. By choosing the right window treatment, you can regulate the temperature of your home with your blinds with less reliance on your appliances. Honeycomb blinds have the best energy efficiency in the industry, as their honeycomb-shaped cell structure acts as insulation. These cells retain heat in the winter and reduce heat created by the sun in the summer.
Taking the time to ensure windows are properly weather-stripped is also a great tip for homeowners. Caulking around windows to make sure no draughts are present will go a long way to keeping the heat where it belongs. When thermostats aren’t constantly being adjusted to accommodate unwanted breezes, you can keep your settings (and bills) low.
With these simple tips in mind, you can avoid a costly hydro bill in the upcoming months. For those you who have already changed your habits and are looking for new blinds, we can help you find and install honeycomb blinds to help keep your home energy efficient and your electricity bills low.