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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Half of Canadians have negative opinion of latest Liberal budget: poll
A new poll suggests the Liberals have not won over voters with their latest budget, though there is broad support for their plan to build millions of homes.
Twins from Toronto were Canada's top two female finishers at this year's Boston Marathon
When identical twin sisters Kim and Michelle Krezonoski were invited to compete against some of the world’s most elite female runners at last week’s Boston Marathon, they were in disbelief.
opinion Why you should protect your investments by naming a trusted contact person
Appointing a trusted person to help with financial obligations can give you peace of mind. In his personal finance column for CTVNews.ca, Christopher Liew outlines the key benefits of naming a confidant to take over your financial responsibilities, if the need ever arises.
Ottawa injects another $36M into vaccine injury compensation fund
The federal government has added $36.4 million to a program designed to support people who have been seriously injured or killed by vaccines since the end of 2020.
Senate expenses climbed to $7.2 million in 2023, up nearly 30%
Senators in Canada claimed $7.2 million in expenses in 2023, a nearly 30 per cent increase over the previous year.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Accused of burglary at stepmother's home, U.S. senator says she wanted her father's ashes: charges
A Minnesota state senator and former broadcast meteorologist told police that she broke into her stepmother's home because her stepmother refused to give her items of sentimental value from her late father, including his ashes, according to burglary charges filed Tuesday.
Australian police arrest 7 alleged teen extremists linked to stabbing of a bishop in a Sydney church
Australian police arrested seven teenagers accused of following a violent extremist ideology in raids across Sydney on Wednesday, as a judge extended a ban on social media platform X sharing video of a knife attack on a bishop that started the criminal investigation.