Save money and stay cozy with these room-by-room cost cutting tipsBottom line: The more natural gas you use, the higher your bill. While you can’t control the weather outside, you can control several things inside to make a big difference in your bill. Save money and stay cozy with these energy saving, room-by-room tips.+Around The House:Install a programmable thermostat to automatically reduce heating and cooling in your home when you don't need as much. Seal air leaks with caulk, spray foam or weather stripping to keep comfortable air in and uncomfortable air out. Start by sealing leaks in your attic, basement and crawl spaces. Next, seal around windows, doors, ductwork and electrical outlets. Change air filters frequently. A dirty filter wastes energy by preventing airflow. Check them every month, and replace them if they look dirty. At a minimum, they should be changed every three months. Use compact fluorescent or LED bulbs. You can lower your lighting bill by converting to energy-efficient, low-wattage lighting and fixtures.

Set the furnace thermostat at 68° F or lower, and the air-conditioner thermostat at 78° F or higher. ac-dc power supplies externalBetween 3% and 5% more energy is used for each degree the furnace is set above 68° F and for each degree the air conditioner is set below 78° F.how much should a 3 ton ac unit cost installed Upgrade heating equipment to more efficient models when possible. what size ac unit for 1000 sq. ft Natural Gas Furnace - If you have a natural gas furnace that is more than 15 years old, it may be time to upgrade to a more efficient model. A new natural gas furnace could save you up to 20% in operating costs. Natural Gas Water Heater - Water heating can account for 15% to 25% of a home’s energy use.

If your natural gas hot water heater is more than 10 years old, you may want to consider replacing it with a more efficient model.+Living Room: Move furniture away from windows. It’s warmer to sit near inside walls. Close your fireplace damper when not in use. Warm air rises, so use registers to direct warm airflow across the floor. Close off doors and vents in unused rooms to conserve heat within your home. During the winter season, keep the draperies and shades on your south-facing windows open during the day to let warm sunlight in. (Reverse during the summer.) In the winter, close draperies and shades at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.+Laundry Room:Wash and dry full loads. Washing one large load takes less energy than two small or medium loads. If you wash smaller loads, change the water level setting appropriately. Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. Dry loads back-to-back to take advantage of the heated drum.

Dry towels and heavier cottons in a separate load from lighter-weight clothes.Over-drying uses more energy (…and causes static cling). Clean the lint filter in the dryer after every load. A clogged filter restricts air flow and reduces dryer performance.+Kitchen:To reduce cooking time, first defrost frozen foods in the refrigerator. Place lids tightly on pans to speed cooking time. Keep the oven door closed while cooking to prevent heat loss. With each opening, the oven loses about 20% of its heat. Only preheat your oven if the recipe calls for it. Use glass or ceramic cookware in your oven. You can turn the temperature down about 25° F, and foods will cook just as quickly. When washing dishes by hand, use a stopper in the sink so water won’t run constantly. Only operate dishwashers when they are fully loaded. Skip rinsing the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. If you do rinse, use cold water. Limit the "rinse hold" feature on your dishwasher.

This setting uses up to seven gallons of hot water for each use. Defrost refrigerators and freezers before ice buildup becomes ¼ inch thick. Frost makes your unit work harder and wastes energy.+Bedroom:Lower your thermostat at night while sleeping. Layer blankets to keep warm.+Bathroom:Quickly repair leaks. Install shower heads and faucets with water-flow restrictors. Turn down the thermostat on your water heater to 120° F. Take quick showers instead of baths. Bathing uses the most hot water in the average household. You use 15 to 25 gallons of hot water for a bath but less than 10 gallons during a five-minute shower.+Unused Rooms:+Attic: The Energy Finance Plan is convenient, on-bill financing for upgrades to gas and electrical systems and is available to Manitoba Hydro residential, commercial, farm, and seasonal customers. The Energy Finance Plan is now available to homeowners for radon abatement projects. Borrow up to $ per residence. The minimum allowable loan amount is $500.

The maximum financing term is 5 years. The minimum monthly payment is $15. Current interest rate is %. No down payment required. All work must be performed by a qualified electrician or a licensed contractor who is a participant in the Energy Finance Plan. Credit approval must be pre-arranged. Repayment of the loan is the responsibility of the homeowner and not the tenant. The loan becomes due and payable when the house is sold; the loan is not transferable. Financing is not eligible for homes under construction, unoccupied homes, or projects in progress or already completed. Financing through the Energy Finance Plan is available for: upgrades to electrical service entrance and panel board equipment; wiring circuits and associated equipment; natural gas piping, venting, delivery, permit cost, and taxes; central air conditioning systems (must have a minimum seasonal energy efficient ratio [SEER] of 13.0); electric/conventional natural gas water heaters (electric must meet CSA C-191 standard);

electric and natural gas furnaces/boilers for seasonal, farm, and commercial customers; unit heaters (natural convection, forced air, or forced air infrared); direct vent natural gas fireplaces (built-in and free-standing); security lighting and fixtures (wiring changes must be made as part of other electrical and energy improvement work); permanently installed electronic air cleaners (the use of any plug-in type of power adapter is not allowed); permanently installed humidifiers (hard-wired); permanently installed dehumidifiers (hard-wired); permanently installed air purifiers (hard-wired); air source heat pumps; radon mitigation measures (through a C-NRPP certified contractor). Financing is not available for: wiring and related equipment for buildings not previously supplied with electrical service; purchase of these free-standing or built-in-appliances including (but not limited to): any natural gas product not installed by a licensed gas fitter;

masonry or carpentry for mantels, hearths, etc. (unless part of a larger project); companion appliances purchased independently; labour in the absence of a qualified technology; Your contractor or retailer will work with you to determine if your project is eligible for financing and will help you complete the loan application. Contractors and retailers can find more information on the Energy Finance Plan by contacting us. Loan interest rate is set at % and locked in for 5 years (subject to change). The maximum loan cannot exceed $. Do not enter any other non-numeric characters (commas, dollar signs, etc.) other than decimal points, in the entry boxes. Term (amortization period) of the loan: Manitoba Hydro will advance your contractor the Total Cost to be Financed, in the amount of $, upon receipt of the Completion Certificate signed by you. You will repay said amount to Manitoba Hydro plus financing charges of $ by equal consecutive monthly payments of $, calculated at the true annual interest rate of % per annum on the declining monthly balance.