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Home heating tips to lower your energy bill this winter

It may be cold outside, but staying warm and cozy this winter will be easier than ever thanks to Canadian Tire. From can’t-miss dessert recipes to tips on creating a more comfortable living space for you and your family, Canadian Tire is making sure you’re ready to Bring On Winter.

Woman and cat sitting in front of space heater during winter
Photo via Canadian Tire

Ever experienced an overheated bedroom and chilled-to-the-bone cold kitchen or dining area? Do you find yourself scratching your head over just how to evenly distribute warmth through your entire home? We’ve all been there.

One of the major frustrations come wintertime, especially when Canadian weather can fluctuate so much, is an inefficiently-heated home. Luckily, you needn’t resign yourself to sky-high heating bills, or constantly fiddling with the thermostat in order to get the equation just right.

With another chilly winter on the way, you’ll want to make sure you have a cozy, comfortable space to come home to — preferably without breaking the bank. With that in mind, we’ve put together a few tips and tricks for how to heat your home more efficiently, and cost-effectively, this winter.

Upgrade to a programmable or smart thermostat

ecobee smart thermostat from Canadian Tire
Photo via Canadian Tire

Technology has come a long way when it comes to modernizing your home, and especially when it comes to heating it. Equipping your home with a programmable or smart thermostat is an excellent (and extremely easy!) way to save energy; most, like this Honeywell programmable option, come with a special energy saving mode to help automatically conserve energy and reduce heating bills.

These clever devices are designed to be controlled via app, allowing you to adjust your home’s temperature from anywhere, whether you’re out running errands, away on vacation, or simply don’t want to get up off the sofa or out of bed (no judgement!). Over time, they learn what temperature you like your home kept and adjust heating and cooling cycles accordingly. Best of all, they’re designed to pay for themselves in energy savings — the ecobee3 Lite Smart Thermostat can save you up to 23% annually on your heating and cooling costs! Other top options include the sleek Google Nest and Sensi Touch.

Invest in a space heater

NOMA space heater from Canadian Tire in bedroom
Photo via Canadian Tire

If you’re looking to save money on whole-home heating while more accurately heating individual rooms, you’ll want to invest in a quality space heater. They’re ideal for specifically warming those rooms that get notoriously cold every winter, rather than raising the temperature in your entire home to make up for it.

An oscillating tower heater will help distribute heat around a room with minimal effort, while a ceramic heater is ideal to warm up parts of your home that don’t get much, if any, central heat (hint: your garage). Looking for the most bang for your buck? Consider an oil-filled heater, known to be the kindest on your energy bills while providing a soothing warmth associated with old-school radiator heating.

Don’t forget about your windows

Hot tea mug covered by white comfort soft wool scarf in front of frosted glass window in warm and cozy living room with lonely but beautiful landscape view snow falling outside. White winter concept.
Photo via Getty Images

Here’s a significantly more low-tech trick: you can help control the temperature of individual rooms simply by closing your curtains at night and opening them during the day. This will let warming sunshine in during daytime hours, while keeping heat in at night when it’s cooler outside.

You’ll also want to check to make sure your windows and doors are properly sealed to avoid air leaks, which can contribute to heat loss and drafty rooms. Luckily, it’s an easy fix if you feel a draft coming through; simply apply waterproof weatherstripping tape to keep heat in and cold air out. Or, if your windows are getting up there in age and weatherstripping isn’t enough, you can seal them using a window shrink kit and a hairdryer.

Remember to rehydrate your air

Humidifier from Canadian Tire
Photo via Canadian Tire

Keeping your home cozy and warm is a must for those snowy winter days, but heating also comes with a price: dry air. Depending on how big your space is, you can combat this with humidifiers. A top-fill tower humidifier is ideal for larger spaces, and saves you the trouble of filling it up from the bottom, while a more compact humidifier is perfect for beside the bed. You can even put a miniature one on your child’s bedside table, or on your desk — like this Air Care Aurora humidifier that doubles as an aroma diffuser to help you get in some much-needed zen time while working from home.

Keep your air clean and fresh

Family and dog relaxes in living room while using air purifier from Canadian Tire
Photo via Canadian Tire

As the seasons change, it’s important to put some extra thought into the air you’re breathing indoors. An air purifier that also heats and cools is a great tool to have in the house year-round (no storage required!). If you’ve already got your heating and cooling down pat, a high-quality air purifier like the NOMA True HEPA Small Air Purifier makes for a wise investment. Ideal for smaller rooms, like a bedroom or home office, it removes 99.97% of allergens and bacteria from the air.

Winter isn’t always easy, but Canadians know how to make the best of it, and Canadian Tire is here to help. Whether you’re looking for tips on dealing with messy winter weather or fun outdoor activities to keep kids active, Canadian Tire has everything you need to Bring On Winter this year, so you can embrace all the fun and excitement the season has to offer.