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Save money and energy this winter! 

Did you know that during the winter months simply lowering your thermostat by 1 degree can save as much as 3% of the energy your furnace uses?

Here are some other tips and tricks to keeping your hard earned money in your wallet:

• Install a programmable thermostat, there are many affordable options available. You can set it to turn the heat up before you wake, turn the heat down when you are away from home and warm back up when you return – automatically. The recommended thermostat settings for a comfortable environment is 21 °C (70 °F) when you’re at home relaxing 18°C (65 °F) when you are asleep, and 15 °C (59 °F) when you’re away from your home for an extended amount of time.
• Install your thermostat away from cold drafts and out of direct sunlight.
• Let the sunlight in during the day. It’s important to try to use as much natural – and free – heat (in the form of sunlight) as possible. Window blinds and curtains should be kept open during the day. Make sure to close your curtains as soon as dusk falls as this will maximize your house’s potential to retain that heat.
• Decorate with LED lights: LED lights provide significant savings, despite the fact that they are more expensive, they will save you money long term. Powering one 7-watt incandescent bulb could light 140 LED bulbs. These lights typically pay for themselves within two holiday seasons.
• Install automatic timers, motion sensors and dimmers on lights.