Use Your Thermostat Wisely to Save. (Vancouver Heating)

You probably have a thermostat in your Vancouver home, but are you using it wisely?

Here are some easy facts about proper thermostat use:

Turn it down to save! When possible reduce the temperature so as not to waste energy & money. Every 1 degree Celsius you lower your thermostat you can save about 2% of the energy used to heat your house!  

Few people need to heat their home at the same temperature all day long. Most of us know to turn down our thermostat in the evening when we are in bed and during the day when at work. What's the point paying to keep our house toasty warm if no one is home to enjoy it.  

When you return home cranking your thermostat all the way up will not heat your home any faster. Pick the temperature you want and let your Vancouver furnace do its thing. 

If you are going to change your thermostat, a programmable one is the way to go!  

 A programmable thermostat makes life easy, because it can be set to reduce temperature automatically. You can have different settings for several times a day and on weekends.  When picking your thermostat try to find one that is energy star qualified. Proper use of a programmable thermostat can reduce your heating bills by 5 - 20%!

Vancouver plumbing and Heating.

Energy Saving Tips for Your Vancouver Home.

Saving energy can be easy! 
Here are a few quick Vancouver plumbing & heating tips to help you go green and save a bit of money:

Dishwasher: Fill it up before you turn it on. Avoid washing partial loads in the dishwasher. Also always make sure to air dry.  


Plumbing Fixtures: Install low flow fixtures in your home. Low flow shower heads and toilets greatly reduce amounts of wasted water. 


Clothes Washer: Use cold water to wash your cloths. You will save energy because your water heater won't have to heat the wasted water. Wash full loads of laundry and even better use an environmentally friendly front loading washer if possible.

Water Heater: Consider making the switch to a tank-less water heater. Unlike a conventional hot water tank it heats only the water you use. 

Furnace: Get annual maintenance done in the summer to keep your furnace working at peak efficiency all winter. Remember to change your filters during the heating season every couple of months. A blocked filter makes the furnace work harder. If you need a new furnace consider changing to a high efficiency furnace. Many older Vancouver Furnaces are only 60% efficient. A new 2 stage high efficiency furnace with variable speed motor is up to 95% efficient. This will turn into saving on your hydro bill and you may qualify for incentives. 

Tips when buying a new furnace (Vancouver)

Here are a few quick tips if you find yourself needing to replace the furnace in your Vancouver home. 

The heating technician installing your new furnace should do a heat loss calculation in order to properly size your furnace. An over-sized furnace will cycle on and off more and be less efficient. You will also probably end up paying more money than you need to for the larger furnace.

The higher the AFUE rating the more efficient the furnace is. Most new Vancouver furnaces are 92 - 95% efficient. Greater efficiency means bigger long term savings on your hydro bills. A two stage furnace with variable speed motor will also provide greater comfort as well as the best efficiency.

The new furnace should come with a reliable warranty. It should be a brand name with a good reputation that you can research, not some builders special discounted at the local supplier.

Make sure your furnace installer is qualified. They should have a valid gas ticket and the company should be registered with the BC Safety Authority as a licensed gas contractor. Don't hesitate to ask their credentials.

Obtain a few estimates, don't just go with the first one. There are many good Vancouver heating companies, so shop around and find the best price out there!

Vancouver plumbing & heating