Top 5 Low-Cost Ways to Save Energy This Winter
Winter in BC means cozy nights, warm drinks… and higher energy bills.
The good news? You don’t need a full home renovation to cut heating costs. Here are five quick and affordable ways to save energy—and most of them pay for themselves within a single season.
1. Turn Down the Thermostat
Cost: $0
Savings: Up to $70/year
Time: Seconds
Difficulty: Easy
Every degree you lower your thermostat can save about 3–5% on your heating bill. For an average $900 winter energy bill, that’s roughly $30–$45 in savings per degree.
Try lowering your heat:
When you’re asleep
When you’re away from home
Or even a few degrees during the day
And no, turning it down doesn’t make your furnace “work harder” later—it actually saves energy overall.
2. Check Your Dryer Vent Flap
Cost: $0–$25
Savings: Up to $120/year
Time: 15–30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
A dryer vent flap stuck open can leak warm air and welcome cold drafts (and critters). Lint build-up is usually the culprit.
Quick fix:
Clean the vent flap and make sure it closes fully.
If it’s damaged, replace it with a high-efficiency vent closure (under $40).
This one simple check can cut your heating loss fast.
3. Find and Seal the Worst Drafts
Cost: $0–$20
Savings: Up to $140/year
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
You don’t need an expensive energy audit to make a difference. Do a DIY draft hunt:
Feel around doors, windows, and outlets on exterior walls.
Use weather-stripping, draft stoppers, or painter’s tape to seal leaks.
Don’t forget pipes or vent openings to the outside.
Focus on the worst offender first—you’ll feel the difference immediately.
4. Install a Programmable Thermostat
Cost: About $30
Savings: Around $70/year
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
A programmable thermostat automatically adjusts your temperature when you’re out or asleep. It’s like autopilot for energy savings.
Bonus: It helps in summer too, cutting cooling costs.
Look for models suited to your heating system, and make sure it’s easy to program.
5. Lower Your Water Heater to 120°F
Cost: $0
Savings: $15–$25/year**
Time: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Moderate
Most water heaters are set at 140°F, but 120°F is usually plenty for showers and washing. Lowering the temperature:
Saves energy year-round
Reduces mineral buildup
Extends your water heater’s life
Just make sure your dishwasher has a built-in heating booster—or you may need to keep your setting a bit higher.
✅ Final Thought: Small Changes, Big Savings
These low-cost energy tips don’t just save you money—they also help reduce wear on your home’s systems and shrink your carbon footprint.
Try one (or all five!) this week and see how much warmer—and more efficient—your home can feel.
Vancouver Fall Home Show Oct. 23-26th
If you would like tickets to the show, please reach out.
Sustained elevated inventories soften Fraser Valley home prices further, spurring bump in sales.
SURREY, BC – Home prices in the Fraser Valley continued their downward trend in September, marking the sixth straight month of declines, amid high inventory.
The Benchmark price for a typical home in the Fraser Valley dropped one per cent in September to $926,300, down 5.4 per cent year-over-year. The continued softening of prices may be encouraging some buyers back into the market, as the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board recorded 962 sales on its Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) in September, an increase of three per cent over August. September sales were down two per cent year-over-year and 28 per cent below the 10-year average.
After sitting out for part of the summer, sellers reemerged in September, with new listings up 23 per cent month-over-month to 3,447; up three per cent year-over-year. Overall inventory remains at decade-high levels, with 10,583 active listings, up one per cent from August and up 17 per cent from September 2024.
The Fraser Valley remains entrenched in a buyer’s market with an overall sales-to-active listings ratio of nine per cent in September. The market is considered balanced when the ratio is between 12 per cent and 20 per cent.
Across the Fraser Valley in September, the average number of days to sell a single-family detached home was 37 days; while for a townhome it was 38 days. Condos took, on average, 39 days to sell.
MLS® HPI Benchmark Price Activity
Single Family Detached: At $1,420,000 the Benchmark price for an FVREB single-family detached home decreased 1.2 per cent compared to August 2025 and decreased 5.4 per cent compared to September 2024.
Townhomes: At $795,600 the Benchmark price for an FVREB townhome decreased 1.5 per cent compared to August 2025 and decreased 4.7 per cent compared to September 2024.
Apartments: At $510,400 the Benchmark price for an FVREB apartment/condo decreased 0.7 per cent compared to August 2025 and decreased 6.3 per cent compared to September 2024.
For the latest statistics package, click HERE
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out. I am here to help:
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