General News

Reducing your electricity bill with a few tips

November 17, 2022   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

With the end of Daylight Saving Time, the sun will drop behind the horizon even earlier going into the winter months which also means your electricity bill usually starts getting higher as you will be turning on the lights even earlier in the evening.

There are a few things you can do to try to keep your power consumption under check during the winter months, as advised by the Province of Ontario.

Many home devices draw what is called ‘phantom power.’ Those are devices that are using power even when they are not being used.

You can cut phantom power usage by unplugging electronics when you’re not using them, plugging electronics into a power bar, and switching it off, and setting up a charging station with a smart power strip so you can limit charging time.

When it comes to heating, you should replace your furnace filter every three months to reduce the energy usage of your furnace fan. Make sure your windows and doors are properly sealed with weather stripping to keep the heat in and reduce energy use.

If you still have incandescent light bulbs, consider switching them with LED lights which are 75 to 90 per cent more energy efficient.

You can choose how your electricity usage is billed. As of November 2020, most Regulated Price Plan electricity customers can choose either a time-of-use or tiered pricing plan.

If you use most of your electricity during off-peak hours, including evenings, overnight, and weekends, and have higher electricity demands, time-of-use may be your preferred pricing plan.

If you are a time-of-use customer, the price of electricity is lower at night, on the weekends, and statutory holidays.

During the winter, electricity use in Ontario peaks two times per day. This occurs in the morning when people are starting their day, and later in the day when returning home from work.

During these two peak periods, when demand is highest, the cost is also the highest.


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