Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and more of your energy budget than any other system in your home. Typically, 48 per cent of an average utility bill goes towards heating and cooling the air and water in Canadian homes.

As well as the financial costs associated with heating and cooling, there are also environmental impacts, for the most part indirect, but still worth considering. In most cases, the money-saving steps you take to conserve energy will help the environment. It's a win-win situation.

Tips for saving energy and money

When purchasing a new water heating system, there are options that can help reduce your energy consumption. Consider buying either an air source heat pump or a high efficiency furnace for your home. Both of these options will use less energy to heat your home. Ground or geothermal heat pumps are the most efficient options. More heating and cooling tips >

The first step in improving space heating efficiency is to trap the heat already produced by sealing leaks and improving insulation. New products in this field include expanding foam which seals larger leaks and vacuum insulation panels which can increase energy efficiency up to tenfold compared to traditional insulation materials. More heating and cooling tips >

Purchasing a programmable thermostat can help lower your energy consumption. Install a programmable thermostat on your air cooling system to automatically adjust the temperature setting. Even an unnoticeable one-degree increase on your air conditioner setting can lead to significant energy savings. More heating and cooling tips >