Tired of waiting on the province to lower your power bill? Here are nine energy-saving tips

Here are energy and cost saving actions that can be performed in your home or office and from season to season:

1. Shift electricity usage to periods when Time of Use (TOU) rates are lower (doing laundry on weekends, running dishwasher after 7 p.m., increasing temperature at home and office to reduce peak demand during summer months).
2. Use LED bulbs! A nine-watt LED bulb replaces a traditional 100-watt incandescent bulb and provides the same amount of light, can provide up to 90-per-cent electricity savings, and can last 15-20 times longer. Find them on the Greater Sudbury Hydro website: http://sudburyhydro.customerfirstinc.ca/download-coupons/
3. For business, replacing T8 32-watt fluorescent tubes with T8 15-watt LED tubes can provide owners with less than a year payback period on lighting upgrades with incentives through the saveONenergy Program. This program can provide up to 50 per cent of the project costs for energy efficient upgrades. Contact our Conservation Team for details by phone at 705-675-0517 or by email  [email protected]
4. Install a programmable thermostat to decrease temperature based on vacancy and increase temperature to help curb A/C costs. Recommended indoor heating temperatures are 20°C (68°F) during the day and 18°C (64°F) at night.  For cooling, they are 25°C (77°F) during the day and 23°C (73°F) at night.
5. Consider replacing an old fridge and save up to 40 per cent in consumption from that appliance.
6. Look for the Energy Star logo. Products bearing this logo are in the top 15 to 30 per cent of its class for energy performance.
7. Install insulation to help retain heat in the winter and keep the home building cooler in the summer. The attic and basement are good places to start.
8. Use motion sensors and timers for bathroom, hallway or exterior lighting for business and home.  This can increase security and ensure you are only lighting occupied areas.
9. Reduce standby or “phantom power” by unplugging computers and electronics when you leave your home or office. You could also utilize a power bar with a built in timer to ensure all connected equipment is off for a specified period. Phantom power can account for up to 15 per cent of the device’s energy when turned off. 

Most small businesses are billed on TOU rates, which means rates differ based on the time of day electricity is used. Businesses (and homeowners) will get a precise measurement of electricity used during each time of use period, allowing you to take steps towards conserving and offsetting costs.

Challenge: compare your recent electricity bill’s TOU usage and try to shift 10 per cent from on-peak to mid-peak and then another 10 per cent from mid-peak to off-peak!

Thanks to our EarthCare Sudbury partner Greater Sudbury Hydro Inc. for their assistance in responding to this question. EarthCare Sudbury is a network of more than 150 local businesses, organizations, and agencies that are committed to helping Greater Sudbury become greener, cleaner, healthier and more sustainable. 

Find out more about EarthCare Sudbury, our partners and how to get involved by visiting our website or call 311.

Do you have a question about an environmental issue? Ask an EarthCare Expert! Submit your questions online by emailing [email protected], then watch for this column published in the Northern Life and on Sudbury.com for an “expert” response.