Q: How can I reduce my use of central air conditioning or cope with a heat wave if I don’t have air conditioning?
A:
• Use tabletop or floor fans
• Use ceiling fans (blades need to turn counter-clockwise/forward)
• Use heat shields on windows: glue foil to one side of a piece of cardboard; place in windows during the hottest part of the day, with the foil side facing out (aim for 80% coverage of each window)
• Create opportunities for flow-though ventilation:
i. Replace old windows with ones having a larger opening
ii. Where feasible, replace windows with doors and install a screen door that can be left open
• Go to a city-run cooling centre or another air-conditioned public place: call 311 or click on the following for a list: Air Conditioned Public Places & Cooling Centres
• In the long term, plant trees (especially southern and western exposure)
Q: How can I cope with the cold if my furnace stops working?
A:
• Use an electric space heater
• Use a working wood stove or fireplace
• Careful use of your electric or gas stove
• Use ceiling fans (blades need to turn clockwise/reverse to distribute warm air)
• If the problem is due to a lack of electricity, you can use a generator to power your furnace.
Q: How can I reduce my carbon emissions/energy use through home renovations?
A:
1) Insulate (listed in ascending order of cost and effort)
• Apply clear plastic tape over window joints and cracks if not using the windows in winter
• Apply weatherstripping around your doors and windows
• Install triple-glazed or thermal pane windows
• Get an energy audit of your home (including a “blower door test” where a large fan is turned on at your front door and air escaping through cracks, vents, etc. is measured)
• Fill cracks where air can escape using caulking or spray foam (e.g., around window and door frames, where the walls meet the foundation or the roof)
• Add insulation to your attic (ideally, have it blown in, or lay down extra bats of fibreglass)
• Add insulation to the inside of your exterior walls
• Add insulation to your outer walls and replace the siding if do not have a brick exterior
2) Install fans
• Use tabletop or floor fans
• Use ceiling fans
3) Create opportunities for flow-through ventilation
Replace old windows with ones having a larger opening
Where feasible, replace windows with doors and install a screen door that can be left open
4) Install a solar hot water heater on your roof
5) Install solar panels to generate electricity to supply your own needs or feed the grid
6) Install a heat pump to boost the temperature in your home
7) Install a geothermal system to warm your house
8) Contact “The Ravina Project” at [email protected], a Pocket-based initiative, for additional information about creating a more energy-efficient and grid-resilient home