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 could rise about 5%. The cost will depend on what the temperature is both inside and outside your home. When it gets really cold outside, your heating system will need to work even harder to warm the inside of your home. 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.