Few milestones are as exciting as moving out on your own for the first time. Or buying your first home. Or if you鈥檙e new to Canada, finding your first Canadian home. Much less exciting is your first winter energy bill.
As university students in the 90s, my roommates and I were thrilled to find our first off-campus home, an adorable 1940s home in the Lower Mainland with lots of character.
But our first foray into adulting got chilly, fast. Once the cold, wet winter was in full swing, drafts were constant as were damp, frosty windowsills. The electric baseboards worked overtime to keep up, as did our strategically placed space heaters.
When the winter energy bill arrived, we were stunned. The bill was much higher than expected and was a big hit to our student budget. We quickly unplugged the space heaters, bundled up in socks and sweaters and took much shorter showers.
Now with my kids and their friends pondering the same big move, I often think about those days and caution everyone to ask some good questions before making the same costly rental decision.
First, can you expect both an electricity bill and a gas bill? Some buildings may use gas for space and water heating or electricity for both. If either of these are included in your rental or strata fees, do you have it in writing?
If you鈥檙e covering the energy bills, ask how the home is heated as this will likely account for most of the energy you use. What type of system is it and how old? A newer heating system, like an air source heat pump or a high-efficiency gas furnace will typically heat a home comfortably using much less energy than an older, less efficient system. You also need to understand what鈥檚 heating the water, typically the second largest energy user in a home.
Will heat easily escape from the home? Are there drafts around doors, windows and vents? Heat loss is money loss, so it鈥檚 important to pay close attention to any precious heat that may be going to waste.
Although energy bills are an important consideration, a tight market can limit housing choices. If you decide to move forward with the home, you can take simple steps to address drafts to avoid heat loss as well as monitor your use to help avoid surprises; find out how at fortisbc.com/energysavingtips.
If you or someone you know are on limited incomes, you may be eligible for a free Energy Saving Kit or free, direct installation of energy-saving products and upgrades as part of the Energy Conservation Assistance Program. These programs are available to both homeowners and renters and offered jointly by both FortisBC and BC Hydro, so you may be eligible, regardless of your utility provider.
Asking these savvy questions and knowing what to expect can help make sure your home is the comfortable haven it鈥檚 meant to be. Happy house hunting!
Nicole Brown, communications manager, FortisBC, has been helping build awareness around energy efficiency and conservation since 2009, and sees this as the essential first step in lowering personal energy costs and advancing collective climate action goals. Have an energy-efficiency topic you鈥檇 like covered? Email conversations@fortisbc.com.
