By Taylor Chartrand

Staying energy efficient and warm in the winter

Feb 13, 2019 | 3:48 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – When it comes to energy efficiency in the winter, the City of Medicine Hat says customers are doing fairly well, but there is room for improvement. 

“We’ve had a lot of success with the Hat Smart Program and people are very keen to take part in the programs we offer,” says Environmental Outreach Coordinator Jass Baidwan. “Based on all of that, I’d say people are getting the point and thinking more about energy efficiency for sure.” 

Baidwan explained that keeping your home warm is definitely important, but people need to focus on keeping themselves warm when it’s necessary. That would begin with a programmable thermostat.

“It’s a very good way to make sure that if you’re not at home, you don’t have the heat going at a unnecessarily high temperature. Definitely when you’re outside, you don’t need to be heating up your home as much. Have it set a few degrees lower when you’re gone and have it set for a comfortable temperature when you return.” 

HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

Summer pool hours extended and discounts applied as Big Marble Go Centre upgrades start

Apr 18, 2024

Medicine Hat company drawing in clients with witty signage

Apr 16, 2024

Medicine Hat College holding event for missing and murdered Indigenous women awareness day

Apr 16, 2024

Baidwan added people could take advantage of natural light as a way heat up your home as well.

“Open up your curtains during the day-time, but definitely close them at night so you have an extra layer of insulation.”

In addition to a programmable thermostat and natural light, you could also try:

• Bundling up with warmer clothing
• Closing vents to unused rooms in your home
• Adjusting your thermostat to a lower setting at night
• Investing in additional insulation throughout your home

Now if you’re not sure if your home is as energy efficient as it could possibly be, Baidwan says you should look into an energy-audit.

“Hat Smart has a self-audit toolkit which is available for free at the Medicine Hat Public Library and you can use what we have inside there to just take a look at your home. That way you’ll find out if you have any air loss or heat loss going on and you can address those things as well.” 

If you would like to find out more information on Hat Smart, click here.