Many older homes in the Cornwall area do have character appeal, but produce large energy bills due to being built prior to the worry of energy ratings or energy-efficiency. Though they weren’t built with draft proofing, the correct attic insulation, high-energy furnaces, thermal windows, homeowners can now take care of upgrades to their home energy through the Canada Greener Homes Grant.

A home energy audit can help you find out just how much energy you are using and why your electricity and gas bills are so high. The Energy Advisor will help you figure out what upgrades can be performed on your home to not only bring your bills down to a rate that’s more comfortable, but energy solutions as well. You can apply for an energy savings rebate program offered by the Government of Canada that can offer you an energy incentive to have those energy efficient upgrades performed on and inside your home to make it a more green home.

One of the most common ways to upgrade your home after a home energy assessment is ensuring proper attic insulation and air sealing. Adding insulation to the walls and basement improves your home’s ability to keep indoor temperature constantly comfortable. Filling in small cracks will prevent air from leaking through trouble spots, air sealing and winter-proofing your home during the year’s coldest months.

To help warm air circulate throughout your home, replace your old furnace by installing a more energy-efficient gas furnace. Burning natural gas in a gas furnace extracts a maximum amount of heat energy to warm your home during the winter. To keep your home cool and comfortable in the summer, you can have an Energy Star-rated central air conditioner installed after your home insulation is improved. The central air conditioner will help lower both your energy use and energy bill as it won’t work as hard as other air conditioners throughout the summer. Your central air system will keep your home comfortable year-round.

If you have a water heater with a large tank, it’s taking up a massive amount of space in your basement. You can save some of that space as well as saving energy by upgrading to an instantaneous, high-efficiency tankless hot water heater to give you a stream of hot water whenever you want. Performing this upgrade can offer you heating systems rebates.

Not only can you save energy, Cornwall residents can apply for a rebate program that will offer efficiency rebates. These rebates will help you not break your bank when performing these upgrades. Renovation grants are offered from Enbridge that will make your gas bill more comfortable to pay as well making your home comfortable to live in year-round with the home efficiency rebates.

If you want to make your home comfortable year-round and lower your home’s energy consumption, call to set up your appointment with the Ontario Energy Board today, and you can begin saving on energy tomorrow.