Girbec’s Tips to help you less consume and pay less!

Our harsh climate has an exacting toll on our homes. We must fight off the winter cold and the scorching summer yielding. Here are some tips to make your environment more comfortable, while saving money and energy.

Improve your home energy efficiency. Do not let your home’s heat escape through the interstices in the walls, attic spaces and foundations.
 
Poor thermal insulation can account for up to 40% of heat losses. So improving it can pay off extremely quickly besides of making your home even more comfortable every day.

Beware of Air or Ventilation Leaks
Air leaks occurring around doors, windows, stove and dryer fans can lead up to 25% of heat loss. Check the escape hatches of your hood and your dryer. If they do not close properly, when the equipment is shut down, your heating will remain trapped between them. Check if your exterior windows and doors are correctly properly sealed; adjust or repair them if necessary. Sealing them with caulking is a simple and economical way to save energy.

Adequate ventilation: a necessary element to energy efficiency. To purify the air, create a healthy environment and reduce the accumulation of condensation, your home needs to breathe. Check the effectiveness of the roof vents, regularly clean the air circulator filters. A proper insulation combined with good ventilation is a successful choice in terms of comfort and energy efficiency.

Check electrical outlets. To prevent heat loss and optimize insulation, we recommend the installation of foam pads that designed specifically to fit between the outlet and the cover plate of indoor electrical outlets and light switches located on the exterior walls of your building.

 

Hot water represents about 20% of a home’s energy bill. You can easily lower your consumption to save money.

• Switch to a low-flow showerhead. Your shower will be just as efficient and effective, but also pleasant, and you will notice a big difference on your electricity bill.
• Wash your clothes in cold water. You will save up to 75 litres of hot water, if you have a front-loading machine and up to 150 litres with a top-loading machine. Choose a laundry detergent recommended for cold water, your laundry will be just as clean!

Get the most from your loads of laundry by running your washer or dishwasher when they are fully loaded. You use as much hot water when the machine is full or empty!

 

Heating and cooling can account for up to 54% of your electricity bill, so you can save a lot of money following these tips.

• By replacing your mechanical thermostats with electronic ones, you will get a constant temperature and save up to 10% of your heating costs.
• When it comes to choosing an additional heater, a heat pump or air conditioner, make sure you choose the appropriate devices servicing the area you need. A device with insufficient capacity will operate continuously without achieving the desired outcome and will waste an enormous amount of energy.
• Adjust the temperature based on your presence and your activities. When you are active at home, the ideal temperature should be 20 degrees Celsius. When you are away or sleeping, the temperature should be 17 degrees Celsius. In addition to saving energy, you will enjoy better sleep. If you have programmable thermostats, take the time to adjust them based on how many rooms you have and your occupancy.

 

• Turn off the lights in empty rooms. At night, for your own safety when you are moving around, opt for low intensity and energy efficient nightlights placed in strategic places, rather than leaving the hallway lights on.
• Replace your incandescent bulbs with Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent lights or LEDs. This will easily lower your electricity costs. LED bulbs can save 70–90% energy, last up to 15,000 hours, but they are still quite expensive. Compact fluorescents are more affordable as they generate energy savings of 75% and will last from 6,000 to 10,000 hours. Each of these options has its strength and weaknesses, and they offer a light spectrum and a different design. Visit Hydro Quebec’s website for a comparative overview of the various types of lights.
• Make the most of the daylight. Open your curtains during the day to enjoy daylighting to the fullest. Close them up at night to keep the heat in.
• Install light dimmer switches to regulate light levels based on your needs. In addition to creating a more pleasant atmosphere, you will save energy and extend the life of your bulbs.
• Put timers on your outdoor lights. In addition to saving energy, it will make your home appear inhabited.
• Choose electronic and household appliances, water dispensers and other products like windows that meet the ENERGY STAR®criteria.

 

Orient your home strategically. The number of windows should be kept as low as possible in the north, east and south direction. The Energy Efficiency Agency recommends the use of an argon-filled double glazing as well as an insulated spacer. Facing westwards, unless trees are dropping shadow your home in the summer, using low-emissivity film reduces the adverse effects of ultraviolet rays on the colours of your furniture and walls.

Do not hesitate to entrust your building work to professionals. This will ensure that you get the best in insulation when dealing with Novoclimat certified contractors and professionals. Not only are they aware of the importance of proper and efficient insulation, but they also are always on the lookout for the latest insulation innovations, well informed about the most recent improvements to the building codes, and compliant with the highest industry standards.

We are committed to providing our customers with the best professional advice
and performing your insulation projects in accordance with standard practice.