See how much you can save with a change in temperature
As heat rises, so will your energy costs. For every degree above 20°C (68°F) your heating costs will rise about 5%. If you're comfortable at cooler temperatures (especially if you're cooking or working around the house), turn down your thermostat and you'll be able to save.
Our winter home temperature reference guide:
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Reading, or watching TV? Set your thermostat at 21ºC (70°F)
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Cooking or working around the house? You may be comfortable at 18ºC (64°F).
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Going to sleep? Set your thermostat for 16ºC (61°F) as you turn in for the night.
Related tips
Quick tip
On at dusk, off at dawn
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Still manually turning your exterior lights on and off? Go automatic by installing photocell sensors that turn lights on when it gets dark and off when it's light. They're a durable, weatherproof and affordable add-on that will save you excess effort and electricity.
Quick tip
Let your dishes dry themselves
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Your dishwasher's heat-dry setting adds a lot of unneeded warmth to a house in summer, and uses a lot of energy year round. Try turning off that setting and air-drying your dishes instead. It can save you approximately $8 per year.
Quick tip
Hang dry your laundry
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If you do eight loads of laundry a week and use your clothesline for 50% of those clothes, you could save $47 a year. Smaller family? If you do three loads of laundry a week, hang drying half of them would save about $18 a year.