Expect Significant Increase On Your Hydro Bills

If you haven’t started conserving energy for environmental reasons, a significant hike on your hydro bill may have you switching off your air conditioning and hanging the laundry to dry.

Brian Bentz, the chairman of the Electricity Distributors Association, has issued a warning to consumers. Hydro bills are expected to increase by as much as 16 per cent by the fall.

Consumers are being hit by the hike in two ways: the first is an eight per cent increase paid to the power generating companies, which you avoid if you’re on a fixed-rate plan, and the second is the eight per cent harmonized sales tax – the five per cent GST always applied to hydro bills.

To make matters worse, it’s also been an unusually hot and muggy summer and consumers are consuming more energy as the prices are set to spike.

Find tips on how you can reduce your power consumption here or below:

  • Keep the temperature at your home 4-5° C below the outside air temperature (e.g. if it is 30° C outside, the thermostat for your air conditioner should be set no lower than 25° C).
  • Use a programmable thermostat to keep the temperature regulated according to the different times of the day.
  • Clean or replace your air conditioning filter monthly. Dirty filters can restrict air flow and reduce your system’s efficiency.
  • When on vacation and away from home, turn off your air conditioner or program the thermostat to turn on just before you get home.
  • Close blinds and curtains during the day (especially those windows that get direct sun) to reduce the outside heat penetration into the home.
  • Use a clothesline when possible and let the sun and outside air naturally dry your clothes.
  • Use ceiling fans in conjunction with your central air conditioning (this may allow you to raise the temperature setting on your thermostat by 2° C, reducing your electricity use by approximately 10 per cent).
  • Avoid unnecessarily heating up your home on hot days by using the oven or stove to cook. Use the microwave or outdoor gas barbecue instead.

 

Source: PowerStream

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