Poor air quality can be caused by humidity, drafts, cold windows in the winter or hot windows in the summer.  Energy efficiency improvements reduce these problems.  Here are some tips on keeping your home efficient and healthy.

Kitchen

• Defrost your freezer if the ice is 5mm thick.
• Vacuum the refrigerator condenser coil frequently.
• Make sure the magnetic door seal on the refrigerator closes tightly.
• Make sure the on/off cycle of your refrigerator works properly.
• Check the oven seal for heat leaks.
• Run only full loads in the dishwasher.

Bathroom/laundry room

• Set the hot-water heater thermostat to no more than 65 degrees Celsius or 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Insulate hot-water pipes.
• Repair leaking taps.
• Don’t overload the clothes dryer.
• Clean dryer lint filter after each use.

Living areas

• Install ceiling insulation.
• Keep curtains closed to prevent heat loss in winter and overheating in summer.
• Close off unheated areas.
• Clean the heating filter regularly.
• Use compact, high-efficiency fluorescent lighting in areas where it is appropriate -- it can save you up to 80 percent in costs.