War in Ukraine: 5 tips to save heat and gas

It is important to save energy, especially in winter. But in reality, it is important to save energy throughout the year. Here are 10 tips for saving heat and gas.

Keep the heat under control

You have no doubt heard that the increase in heat and the increase in pollution are factors that make us sick more often these days. In your house, you can of course install an air conditioner, but is it really enough? Do air conditioners really burn less energy than air heating? In reality, an air conditioner consumes much more energy than central air heating.

There are also all the other things you can do to keep the heat under control:

• use glass wool or blankets (made of sheep’s wool) to keep your home pleasantly warm and comfortable. You only take them off when you feel too hot.

• Only install air conditioners in the rooms that serve you the most.

• if you can, make sure your house is never too hot. And if so, close the windows and doors.

• avoid taking too long showers and use hot water only for bathing or for people who do not have a swimming pool.

• turn off all electrical appliances that you do not need.

• inside the house, turn off the lights when you are not using them.

• if you have a swimming pool, use hot water for bathing or for people who do not have a swimming pool.

• regulate the heating of your house according to your real needs. Don’t leave it on all the time. And above all, remember that you are inside and that the cold outside is there to protect you.

• do not let your children play with electrical devices such as mobile phones or game consoles.

• if you have a central heating system (heat pump), if possible, use only the heat it produces.

The basic good habits that have been talked about for years are still relevant with the war in Ukraine!

Insulate doors and windows

Insulating doors and windows may seem like a simple task. However, it is important to properly insulate your doors and windows to ensure that you can retain the heat from the heating in the winter and keep it cool in the summer. Find out how to insulate every door and window in your home.

You can also use energy savers like plastic or foam double glazing for your front door or upstairs windows.

Pay attention to the insulation of the doors and windows in your children’s room: they need a cozy and warm place to sleep, but the insulation must be sufficient to prevent heat loss when they open their door there. night.

Radiators and convectors

Your home or office can be heated by many different ways: radiators, convectors, underfloor heating… But in which case is each method preferable? What is the radiator? What is the convector? What is underfloor heating? What are their advantages and disadvantages?

Insulate your radiators

In winter, radiators are primarily responsible for heating your home. The radiators work thanks to an electrical resistance which transforms the electricity into heat. But that’s not all: some radiators can have a dual purpose: to heat the ambient air and to power the heat pump. This is also the case with radiators.

Use a reversible radiator to heat your home

Reversible radiators are a good solution to increase the energy efficiency of your home and reduce your energy costs. Indeed, these devices can produce heat with electricity or natural gas, but also by using the hot air already present in the house.

Wrap your radiators with an insulating fabric

This is a very simple method to reduce heat loss. Indeed, wrapping your radiators in an insulating fabric such as sandpaper or wool can reduce the energy used by each device by several tens of watts.

You can also install an anti-heat mat under your radiators to protect them from direct contact with the floor.

Insulate taps and pipes

Your bathroom faucets can be a major source of moisture, which can degrade your floors and walls in the long run. Insulating the piping below your sink helps protect your floors from the negative effects of moisture. Also, we explain how you can insulate your main pipes with wind-up insulation.

Staying warm in winter is possible!

In Quebec, winter can be long and very cold. Heating is the primary source of energy expenditure. It is important to take good steps to maintain a pleasant temperature in the house and not waste energy. Follow our tips to save money.

To help you reduce your electricity bills, we suggest simple things to do every day:

Close shutters and curtains when the sun is out.

Check that the ventilation in your home is well ventilated.

Proper insulation of the walls, roof and floor helps retain heat.

Do not heat an unused room.

Heating with solar energy rather than with stoves.

First of all, it is important to control the heat. In our house we have thermostats on all radiators and convectors, which allows us to keep control individually for each room. We can thus save energy by controlling the temperature and reducing the amount of heat in the rooms where we are not.

We have replaced our radiators with convectors. These are less greedy than radiators. In addition, our convectors are induction, which reduces the energy consumption of the device.

When we enter the house, we can smell a little burning smell coming from the wood stoves. Although we have a ventilation system, this smell remains perceptible, but it does not bother us. Moreover, this smell reassures us when we think of stove heating.

We also replaced the wood stove in our room with a pellet stove. The latter is more efficient and less greedy. It heats up faster and therefore reduces energy consumption.

You can heat with all kinds of fuels: wood, kerosene, natural gas… but we have chosen to heat with wood. Indeed, wood is a renewable resource. It is a soft and ecological fuel.

We have had photovoltaic panels installed on the roof in order to be energy self-sufficient. This allows us to have total autonomy and we no longer need to use electricity from the network.

These panels produce electricity using solar energy. In winter, this energy is transformed into heat thanks to wood-burning stoves.

We had a pellet stove installed in our room. It heats up faster and therefore reduces energy consumption.

We have only one desire: to fully live again here, in our new home.