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Smart Energy Savings for Your Home
Tips to Reduce Energy Use & Save Money
Discover simple and effective ways to optimize your energy use and lower your energy bill, without sacrificing comfort. These practical tips are designed specifically for Albertan homes and will help you make your household more energy-efficient and keep more money in your pocket.
Heating Smarter: Keep the Warmth In
When Alberta’s temperatures dip, a few simple habits can make your home feel cozier—while keeping your energy use in check. Here are some easy ways to heat smarter this season.
A well‑managed thermostat is one of the simplest ways to stay comfortable without overspending on energy.
Find the right temperature balance
Most homes stay perfectly comfortable at about 21°C when you’re home and awake. When you’re asleep or away, lowering the temperature to around 18°C helps reduce energy use without sacrificing comfort. These small adjustments add up over the course of a winter.
Let smart technology do the work
A programmable or smart thermostat takes the guesswork out of temperature control. Set it once, and it automatically adjusts throughout the day to match your routine. Many smart models even learn your habits over time or allow you to make changes from your phone—handy if you’re running late or spending the weekend away.
Think seasonally
As the weather shifts in spring and fall, consider nudging your thermostat down a degree or two. Homes naturally stay more comfortable during these shoulder seasons, so even small reductions can help stretch your energy dollars further.
A healthy furnace runs more efficiently, uses less energy, and helps keep your home reliably warm during cold snaps.
Check and change your filter regularly
Your furnace filter works hard—and it needs a little attention back. A quick monthly check helps ensure it isn’t clogged with dust or debris. A clean filter keeps warm air flowing smoothly and prevents your furnace from working overtime.
Book an annual tune‑up
Just like your car, your furnace performs best with regular care. An annual professional inspection helps maintain efficiency, extends equipment life, and ensures your system is running safely all winter long.
A few smart choices about how you heat your space can make your home feel more comfortable and efficient.
Heat the spaces you use most
If there are rooms in your home you rarely use—maybe a guest room or storage area—closing the vents in those spaces can help direct warm air where it’s needed most. It’s a simple way to make your home feel warmer without turning up the thermostat.
Hot Water Wise: Conserve & Save
Hot water is something we rely on every day, whether we’re cooking, cleaning, or hopping in the shower after a long winter drive. With a few simple habits and equipment checks, you can enjoy reliable hot water while using energy more efficiently.
Setting your water heater to the right temperature keeps your household safe and helps your system work more efficiently.
Keep your system safe and healthy
We recommend setting your hot water tank to 60°C (140°F). This temperature helps prevent the growth of harmful bacteria such as Legionella, which can develop in water that’s too cool. Maintaining this setting keeps your hot water supply dependable and safe.
Protect your family from scalding
While your tank should stay at 60°C, you can still enjoy comfortable, safe water at your taps. Installing mixing valves or anti‑scald devices allows faucets and showers to deliver water at about 49°C (120°F)—warm enough for daily use, but much safer for skin.
Give your tank a little extra warmth
If you have a conventional hot water tank, adding insulation to the tank or the first few feet of hot water pipes can help reduce heat loss. This means your system doesn’t have to work as hard to reheat water, saving you energy over time.
Changing a few small daily habits can make a noticeable difference in both your energy use and your water bill.
Take shorter, efficient showers
Showers are one of the biggest hot water users in any home. Cutting just a couple of minutes off your shower time can reduce your hot water consumption more than you might expect.
Use low‑flow fixtures
Installing low‑flow showerheads or faucet aerators is an easy upgrade that reduces water use while keeping water pressure comfortable. They’re inexpensive, simple to install, and start saving energy right away.
Run full loads whenever possible
Whether you’re starting the dishwasher or the washing machine, running full loads ensures you’re getting the most out of every hot water cycle. Many modern appliances are designed to clean efficiently even on eco or cold‑water settings.
Home Envelope: Your First Line of Defense
A well‑sealed home—or “home envelope”—is one of the most effective ways to keep warmth in and energy costs down. By taking care of the small openings and insulating the right areas, you can make your home more comfortable all year long.
Even small drafts can make your home feel cooler and force your heating system to work harder. Luckily, they’re easy to find and fix.
Spot the common draft zones
Check around windows, doors, electrical outlets, baseboards, and attic hatches for cold air leaking in. On windy days, you can use the back of your hand to identify air movement.
Seal gaps with weatherstripping and caulking
- Weatherstripping is ideal for moveable parts like doors and window sashes.
- Caulking works best for fixed gaps, such as around window frames or where walls meet trim.
A quick afternoon of sealing gaps can make a noticeable difference in both comfort and energy use.
Don’t forget unheated spaces
Pipes or ducts running through unheated basements, crawl spaces, or garages benefit from insulation wraps. This prevents heat loss and helps protect against freezing during cold snaps.
Proper insulation keeps warm air where it belongs—inside.
Check insulation levels
Your attic is often the easiest place to start. If you can see the tops of joists or notice uneven coverage, you may not have enough insulation. Walls can be trickier to assess, but a contractor or energy advisor can help determine what your home needs.
Boost efficiency with the right coverage
Well‑insulated attics and walls help your natural gas heating system work more efficiently, keeping your home warmer for longer without extra energy use.
Your windows and doors play a big role in keeping your home warm.
Ensure they’re well‑sealed and efficient
Look for air leaks and repair worn‑down weatherstripping. If your windows or doors are older, upgrading to energy‑efficient models can improve comfort and reduce drafts.
Use curtains and blinds to your advantage
- During sunny winter days, open curtains to let in natural warmth.
- At night, close blinds or drapes to help keep heat from escaping.
Consider insulating window film
Applying a clear insulating film to drafty windows can help reduce heat loss—an affordable, temporary option for colder months.
Sometimes a trained eye can spot things you might miss.
Book a home energy audit
A professional energy assessor can evaluate your home’s insulation, airflow, heating equipment, and overall efficiency. You’ll receive personalized recommendations to help make your home more comfortable and cost‑effective over the long term.
Efficient Appliance Use: Maximizing Performance
Your household appliances work hard every day—and with a few simple habits, they can work even more efficiently. These small changes help you save energy, reduce wear and tear, and keep your home running smoothly.
Little tweaks in the kitchen can add up to meaningful energy savings.
Choose the right pan for the burner
Using a pot or pan that matches the size of the burner helps heat transfer happen more efficiently. A small pan on a large burner wastes heat, while an oversized pan on a small burner slows down cooking and uses more energy.
Keep lids on pots
When you cover pots, you trap heat and speed up cooking time. This simple step saves energy, reduces steam in the kitchen, and helps meals come together faster.
Use your oven wisely
Your oven uses a lot of energy, so make the most of it when it’s on. Try batch cooking—baking multiple dishes in one go—to stretch every bit of heat. And remember: every time you open the door, heat escapes, forcing the oven to work harder to recover. Use the oven light instead of peeking.
Your dryer can be one of your home’s highest energy users—so a few quick habits make a big difference.
Clean the lint trap every time
A clogged lint filter slows air circulation and makes your dryer work harder. Taking a few seconds to clean it before each load helps clothes dry faster, reduces energy use, and lowers fire risk.
Dry full loads
Just like the dishwasher or washing machine, running full loads is more efficient than doing several smaller ones. Your dryer uses roughly the same amount of energy regardless of load size, so make each cycle count.
Make sure your dryer vents properly
Proper airflow is crucial. Ensure your dryer vent hose is clear, untangled, and properly installed so warm air can escape as it should.
Schedule an annual vent cleaning
Over time, lint can build up in the dryer vent—not just the filter. An annual professional cleaning helps prevent blockages, improves dryer efficiency, and reduces fire hazards.
Your natural gas features can offer comfort and convenience—just make sure they’re operating efficiently.
Close fireplace dampers when not in use
An open damper can act like an open window, letting warm indoor air escape straight up the chimney. Closing it when the fireplace is off keeps your home warmer and prevents unnecessary energy loss.
Turn off unused natural gas pilots
If your natural gas fireplace, BBQ, or patio heater has a pilot light, turn it off when it’s not in use for extended periods. It’s a simple way to avoid burning gas unnecessarily.
Understanding Your Bill & Usage Patterns
Your natural gas bill doesn’t have to be a mystery. With a few simple tools and tips, you can better understand how much energy you’re using—and how small changes throughout your day can make a real difference.
Your bill includes important information about how much natural gas your home uses and how your charges are calculated. Knowing what each section means can help you make informed choices about your energy habits.
Key terms to know
Most natural gas bills include:
- Consumption – The amount of natural gas you used during the billing period, usually measured in gigajoules (GJ).
- Delivery charges – The cost of safely delivering natural gas to your home, maintaining the system, and providing customer service.
- Energy charges – The cost of the natural gas itself, based on how much you used.
- Meter read dates – The span of time the bill covers, which helps explain seasonal changes in your usage.
Understanding these terms makes it easier to compare month‑to‑month or year‑over‑year usage.
How to read your natural gas meter
Taking a moment to check your meter can help you track your daily or weekly usage more closely.
- Look for the current reading on the meter, then subtract the previous reading from your last bill.
- The difference shows how much gas you’ve used since your last bill.
- If your home has an advanced or automated meter, your usage is read remotely—but you can still follow trends by logging into your online account.
Checking your meter now and then can give you a clearer picture of how weather, appliances, and household routines affect your consumption.
A better understanding of your daily use can help you find simple ways to save energy without sacrificing comfort.
Monitor your usage patterns
Try checking how much natural gas you use at different times of year—or on particularly cold days. These insights can help you spot patterns, such as:
- Higher usage on laundry or baking days
- Increased consumption in colder months
- Lower usage during vacations or weekends away
Seeing these trends can make it easier to set personal energy goals or try new efficiency habits.
Use your online tools to stay informed
Your online account through Customer Advantage offers you a great way to stay on top of your energy use. When you login to your online portal you can:
- Track your energy usage
- Compare usage to previous bills
- View your billing history
- Detect unusual spikes
These tools make it easy to spot changes early and make small adjustments before your next bill arrives.