How to winterproof your home and cut down on energy costs

Utility bills are expected to rise this winter as natural gas, electricity, furnace oil and other energy sources continue to skyrocket in price.

This is why you should make sure your home is winterproofed, and you heating and air conditioning system is operating efficiently to provide clean air and avoid breakdowns. While you can pay a lot to have a professional technician look at your system and change the filters, it’s something you can do yourself.

“A dirty filter can release those particles into the air and can eventually damage your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system,” Dan Wroclawski with Consumer Reports told CTV News Toronto.

FURNACES

First, start up your furnace and make sure hot air is coming out the vents.

To replace your filter, make sure the replacement filter is the right size – you’ll see the dimensions on the filter’s side. Be sure to install it facing the right way, which should also be indicated on the filter’s edge.

HUMIDIFIERS

It’s not just your furnace filter that deserves attention, your heating system removes moisture from the air which can cause itchy eyes and dry skin. For this reason, if you have a humidifier, you should make sure it’s ready for another season as well.

“A good humidifier goes a long way to keeping you comfortable, but you need to empty the tank daily and clean it regularly to prevent bacteria from developing,” Wroclawski said.

Generally, drain, rinse and towel-dry the tank daily and every week, deep clean the machine with vinegar and water scrubbing the base with a toothbrush and rinse well.

The tank can be cleaned with a combination of water and vinegar and you can check the owner's manual for how often to replace the filter or wick.

AIR PURIFIERS

Air purifiers are meant to filter the air in a single room, not the whole house, but they can't work at full capacity unless air is pulled through a clean filter.

It should be changed according to the manufacturer's instructions, usually every six to twelve months.

WINDOWS

With energy costs rising, you'll also want to make sure all your windows are closed up tight and spend some time looking for air leaks.

Investing a few dollars in weather stripping or spray foam could help you save on your heating bill this winter.