You don’t need to be outside for long before you want to return to the warm and cosy refuge of your home. Even with the mild start to our winter, Old Man Winter makes the season a difficult one. The combination of freezing temps, blistering wind chills, and slushy precipitation can force even the most daring Torontonian indoors. We unthinkingly turn up our thermostats to beat out Mother Nature and keep our fingers and toes warm, but we’re here to change all that.

According to The Survey of Household completed by Stats Canada in 2006, the majority of Canadians (roughly 60%) have a forced air furnace as their primary heating system. Another 30% of households use electrical sources, like baseboard heaters, as their method of staying warm. The remaining 10% uses some mixture of wood or hot water system to heat their home. Regardless of the system put in place, it’s a major expense during the winter months. The study revealed the average Canadian spent roughly $1,900 on the fuel necessary to heat their homes. To put that into perspective, that’s roughly 15% of the total household expenditure on shelter.

With last month’s increase from Ontario Hydro, the cost of heating your home will only continue to rise. We don’t think your comfort during the winter months should be sacrificed because of financial concerns. While there will be days when temperatures force you to blast your furnace, there are alternative methods to warming up. We have some wallet-saving tips to keep warm without relying on your furnace.

First of all, an assessment carried out by one of our heater repair technicians will make sure your furnace or heating unit is in top repair. Our technicians will carry out a thorough inspection of its internal mechanisms to make sure it’s operating at full efficiency. An efficient furnace is a happy furnace and one that doesn’t have to work as hard (with more energy) to maintain room temperature. With our up-front billing and competent repairs, our visit is always an economic option.

Once you know your furnace is in fighting shape, you can turn your attention to parts of your home that leech heat. Simple home maintenance and repairs can fix these areas and eliminate any draughts affecting the temps of your home. The number 1 culprit for heat loss will always be your windows, followed closely by your doors. Weather stripping around these fixtures can crack or shrink, allowing cold outside air in. Repair it with caulking or replace it outright if you notice any damage. Curtains and rugs can be more than just decoration. Thick, heavy fabric can also stop draughts in their tracks, whether they’re coming from your windows or door.

Don’t be afraid to layer clothes during the winter, too. Having an indoor fleece or woolly sweater to wear overtop of your regular outfit will help raise your body temperature, as will wearing lined slippers when you have to walk on cool tile. Make sure you have ample blankets when you’re ready to curl up in front of the screen and watch Netflix. The more the merrier — and that goes for your seat mates, too. Sharing body heat is a quick and natural way to stay warm.

Cooking is another simple way to keep your living spaces warm without turning up your thermostat. The energy produced by your oven and stove will carry through your home — not to mention whatever you’ve got bubbling will heat you from the inside out. There’s a lot to be said about a hot bowl of soup and a mug full of steaming hot chocolate when you’re feeling chilled.

Make a mug of hot cocoa while you wait for our visit. Though uncomplicated, these simple tips can help you keep your thermostat at a manageable temperature. Follow our advice the next time you come in from the cold, and resist the need to turn your furnace on full blast. Your wallet will thank you!