Looking for current Enbridge rebates for this year? You’re in luck – Enbridge Gas is committed to helping you save money!

After a registered energy advisor examines your home for energy-saving opportunities, you’re qualified to receive everything from free energy-efficiency services, products, and installations—for those with a lower income—to free home energy assessments, advice, and rebates to help you buy all the upgrades you need. There are options to fit everyone and every budget.

You could save as little as $100 when you upgrade to a smart thermostat to as much as over $5,000 for making multiple upgrades. The more you upgrade, the more you save!

Now how do you save on your electricity bill too? The same advisor that conducted your free home assessment will also do an electric assessment.

When you make specific upgrades, and you make 2 or more, you’re also eligible to receive additional electrical rebates. So that saves you money twice: once on the purchase of your upgrades and again on the money you save on your electricity bill because your new upgrades are so much more efficient!

So save money three times over (on your purchases, your gas bill, and your electricity bill) when you participate in all the rebate programs Enbridge has to offer. Read on to learn more about them all, how you can participate, and about some tips on how you can continue to save money and energy.

Enbridge Programs for Low-Income Households

Enbridge Home Waterproofing

Everyone should be able to come home to a warm and cozy home at the end of a long, cold, dark winter day. A cold and drafty old house is also terribly unhealthy! Unfortunately, many older homes have drafty doors; ancient, ineffective windows; and not nearly the right amount of insulation.

To add insult to injury, those with a lower income don’t have the means to make these fixes. These fixes, whether big or small, aren’t niceties; they’re necessities. Enbridge put together the Home Winterproofing program to help those who need help the most but can’t afford it.

The program is a triple win because not only do those who participate end up with a healthy, comfortable home, but they save money every month, which is surely a great bonus, and they do their part to reduce Ontario’s carbon footprint.

So why wait? This is a wonderful program with so many benefits, and you qualify if your income is $33,681 (before tax) or less and you live alone. The allowable income level goes up for each member of your household, but the income amount will include the income of everyone in the home over 18.

The only other qualifications are that you need to be an Enbridge gas customer (you must pay your own bill) with a natural-gas heated home built before 1980. You may also qualify if you benefit from one of Ontario’s social programs.

When you participate in this program, you will be the lucky recipient of loads of free items that will keep you cozier and save you lots of money on your dreaded winter energy bills.

The best part is you won’t have to install the energy-saving products yourself because one of Enbridge’s certified contractors will do that for you! But first they’ll go through your home to determine what fixes and products would be best for you.

Only your advisor will know what you need most, but you could very well end up with free draft proofing and free insulation!

Different organizations deliver this Enbridge program. In the Toronto, Peel, Niagara, Simcoe, and York areas, it is delivered by GreenSaver. In Ottawa, it’s delivered by EnviroCentre, and if you’re in the Durham and Peterbourough areas, it’s delivered by Windfall Centre.

Sound interesting?

Are you ready to enjoy winter rather than dread it? Apply today by filling out an application online or downloading it and mailing it in to the address on the form along with your account number, your Notice of Assessment or a benefit statement, and something that proves your monthly income.

Alternatively, you can also give one of their service centres a call to apply, but make sure you have all your information ready for them to ease the process.

Enbridge Programs for Energy Efficiency

Enbridge Home Conservation Program

Here’s the deal with this program. To begin with, it’s funded by Save On Energy but delivered by Enbridge. But the part that really matters is not just that it will save you an enormous amount of money initially and over time, it’s the easiest program out there to qualify for. As long as you haven’t participated in another home conservation program in Ontario and you promise not to in the future, you’re in!

You can benefit from this program in just 4 easy steps.

• First, prequalify and book an appointment with a certified energy advisor. They’re independent contractors, but they have been vetted by Enbridge.
• Second, experience your home assessment because it truly is an eye-opening experience. You’re guaranteed to learn more than you thought with your home assessment. Ask lots of questions throughout. It will only help clarify all the different bits and pieces for you. Once it’s complete, review the comprehensive report your advisor will give you. The pre-assessment will take about 2 to 3 hours and will cost $600, but you will be reimbursed for the whole amount.?
• Third, hire a contractor after you’ve reviewed your report and decided on the upgrades and rebates that are right for you. I’ll repeat myself throughout on this one, but Enbridge recommends you get no less than 3 quotes to ensure you’re getting the right company for the job(s). Then make all the upgrades you like, but if you want to qualify for the $5,000 in rebates plus the $250 incentive, you’ll need to make 2 or more upgrades. Your home assessment will have even included an electrical assessment because you can access electrical rebates as well when you make your required 2 or more upgrades. These offers won’t be around for long though!
• Third, hire a contractor after you’ve reviewed your report and decided on the upgrades and rebates that are right for you. I’ll repeat myself throughout on this one, but Enbridge recommends you get no less than 3 quotes to ensure you’re getting the right company for the job(s). Then make all the upgrades you like, but if you want to qualify for the $5,000 in rebates plus the $250 incentive, you’ll need to make 2 or more upgrades. Your home assessment will have even included an electrical assessment because you can access electrical rebates as well when you make your required 2 or more upgrades. These offers won’t be around for long though!

Once you’ve been through all four steps, you’ll get a cheque in the mail in about 8 to 10 weeks that includes all the rebates you went for!

All the eligible rebates included in this program are listed below. 

Heating & Cooling Incentives Program

This rebate program has so many goodies attached to it that it would be a shame not to take advantage of it. The only catch to the whole thing is that you need to make 2 or more upgrades to get any rebate at all, but that’s not terrible because you’ll get an additional $250 rebate when you make the required 2 or more upgrades.

You could even get an additional $600 in electrical rebates if you make qualifying upgrades, such as upgrading your central air conditioner.

As mentioned earlier, you will also need to pre-apply and have a certified energy advisor conduct a home energy assessment (which will also include an electrical assessment) on your home before you get to participate and choose your upgrades, but you really wouldn’t want to make your upgrades without knowing what your home needs the most anyway, would you?

And while the assessment does come with a fee, you will get an extra $600 on your rebate cheque to cover the entire cost of your pre- and post-assessments. The pre-assessment will take about 2 hours, and the post-assessment will only take about an hour.

After your advisor has discussed what your home most needs to improve its energy efficiency, you are free to choose your own contractor and the upgrades that you want to make.

Enbridge highly encourages you to get quotes from at least 3 contractors and ensure they’re registered with the Technical Standards & Safety Authority though to make sure you get the best value for your dollar.

Once you have all your wonderful new products purchased and installed and ready to save you money and energy, your energy advisor will come back for that post-assessment.

Then they’ll make things really easy for you by giving your home an energy rating, collecting all your documents, and filling out and submitting your rebate application for you. Then you’ll see a bunch of money in 8 to 10 weeks!

Read on to learn about the whole list of heating and cooling rebates available.

High-efficiency Furnace or Boiler Rebate

Help yourself save on the cost of heating your home. The majority of your monthly energy bill goes to just keeping your home the right temperature, so make sure you have the most efficient furnace or boiler you possibly can. It may seem like a big pill to swallow when you think about buying a new furnace or boiler, but it’s not quite so bad when you think about the $1,000 rebate you’ll get when you do buy one.

Add to that the roughly $4,000 you’ll save while your new furnace still works. Your new furnace will have paid for itself many times over again! Before you buy though, make sure that it’s an eligible model.

And your benefits don’t end there! Not only does this upgrade count towards the additional $250 rebate, but if you upgrade your furnace and air conditioner, you’ll also qualify for another $600 for your new air conditioner and additional electrical incentives.

So warm your home and your wallet just by choosing to make this upgrade after your home assessment. This rebate is available if your home is fuelled by anything other than electricity.

Water Heater Rebate

Heating your whole home not only means heating the air, it means heating the water you use too. This is one of the easiest places to save some money and energy. Just think about all that time you spend using hot water for your clothes, your shower, and your dishes!Something as simple as a new water heater could reduce your monthly heating bill.

Now is a great time to invest in one if your interest is piqued because you’ll get yourself $500 back when you buy one. Plus you can use it towards that extra $250 rebate!

Unfortunately, the bad news is this offer isn’t available for those with electrically heated homes.

Insulation Rebates

For those with electrically heated homes who are anxiously waiting for rebates that apply to you, wait no longer! All the rest of these rebates are open to you too (with the exception of the wood-burning system rebate), and all qualify you for that $600 incentive!

When your energy advisor examined your home for energy saving opportunities, insulation would have been a key element. That’s why your advisor will know exactly how much more insulation you could use and where. This is a highly effective way to keep the warmth and money in and the cold and humidity out. It’s an all-round solution!

Isn’t it perfect then that this rebate could get you anywhere from $250 to $1,750 back depending on how much you insulate and where you insulate.

The different insulation locations (basement, attic, exterior walls) qualify as different rebates in some cases, so take a look and see how you can best maximize your rebates. Just remember the $5,000 cap for all rebates!

Air Sealing Rebate

Small as it may seem, air sealing isn’t something that should be overlooked when it comes to saving energy—and money! Keeping that air in, whether it’s warm or cold, makes all the difference on your energy bill, not to mention your comfort!

Now you can get $100 back for air sealing if you seal to the base target your advisor gave you and $150 back if you go 10% beyond that! And it also qualifies as one or more upgrades, so it’s a great add on for any upgrade(s) you’ve already made.

Windows/Doors/Skylight Rebate

Ah, windows. Our best friend or our worst enemy. If you’re lucky enough to live in a newly constructed house with nice, new, energy-efficient windows and doors, you won’t be interested in this rebate—unless of course it’s time to install that skylight that’s always been on your want-to-have list. 

For the rest of you, new windows or new doors could be the one big upgrade that makes the biggest difference in your home. 

Today’s windows are much more energy-efficient and are built to last a long, long time. The money you put into them will pay itself off a little more every time you open your utility bill.

This rebate offers you $80 back for every window, door, or skylight you install as long as it’s ENERGY STAR® Zone 2 or 3 qualified. Now imagine how wonderful next winter would be if your doors and windows kept the heat in and a brand new furnace pumped out more heat, all for less money? 

Sefinitely worth the initial investment!

And don’t forget that extra $250 you’ll also get for making 2 or more upgrades!

Wood-burning System Rebate

This rebate is a little inclusive, so you’re only invited to this rebate party if your home is heated with wood. But if that’s you, you could see yourself with $750 if you upgrade your current system to a new CAN/CSA-B415.1, EPA 40 CFR Part 6, or B415.1-M92 certified wood-burning system.

Of course, you also have the option of upgrading to a new, indoor pellet-burning appliance or an indoor masonry heater or replacing your solid fuel-fired outdoor boiler with an outdoor wood-burning CAN/CSA-B415.1 or EPA outdoor wood-fired hydronic heater (OWHH Method 28) program (Phase 1 and 2) certified appliance.

You can choose any of these upgrades depending on your current system and your needs, and as long as the capacity of the new system is equal to or smaller than your old one.

Talk to your advisor for more information or to learn about what they think is right for you.

Air Source Heat Pump Installation

This may not be a perfect rebate, but you can still save money on the installation of an air source heat pump. If you’ve purchased one (buying one doesn’t qualify for a rebate) and need it installed, instead of paying full price for installation, why not at least take advantage of this rebate to get $500 back?

It doesn’t qualify as part of the $5,000 rebate maximum either, so it’s a rather helpful rebate!

Additional Electric Rebates

Now for your electrical incentive bonus if you’ve made your 2 required upgrades!

Let’s start with the $600 rebate you get for a central air conditioner, as long as it’s ENERGY STAR® certified with a minimum SEER ratio of 18 and a minimum EER of 13 (it must have a qualifying indoor coil though). Perhaps $250 for a high-efficiency furnace with an ECM is more up your alley? Or how about $25 for installing an ENERGY STAR® Window Air Conditioner? Take advantage of it now while you’re making all your upgrades so you can sit pretty this winter!

And then there’s your old appliances. I’m willing to bet you’ve spent some time standing in front of one of them just waiting for the day you get to replace it. Well, now you can if you made your other 2 qualifying upgrades!

Get $30 back for a dehumidifier or $75 back for a fridge, freezer, or washing machine. Sounds like a nice reward!

Finally, for those whose homes are electrically heated, you and only you qualify for a rebate on the purchase of an air source heat pump provided you’ve made your other required upgrades so you can qualify for this one. You could get anywhere from $1,900 to $5,500 back for it. Wow.

Then go back and take advantage of the air source heat pump installation rebate of $500! And then maybe brag to your friends a little too now that you’re the most energy-efficient, energy-conscious, money-saving kid on the block.

Enbridge Smart Thermostat Rebate

Now that you’ve read through and taken advantage of as many energy rebates as you can, there’s just one small thing left. But while it may be small, it’s integral and delivers a powerful pop when it comes to saving money and energy!

That one small thing is your thermostat. Especially if you’ve had the same ancient thermostat hanging on your wall for years, making this one change can save you money every single month and still keep you warm. Upgrading to a smart thermostat gives you all the control. Keep your home warmer when you’re home and save energy when you’re not. Heat the rooms you need to, not the rooms you don’t.

Turn the heat up and down with your phone or tablet from wherever you are: upstairs, in the car, at the office, in the airport! This intelligent tool will even tell you when it’s time to change the filter.

So while you’re making your other upgrades in an effort to save money and the Earth, grab yourself a smart thermostat too and take advantage of the $100 rebate Enbridge is offering.

Choose from a number of manufacturers—Nest, Honeywell, Ecobee, Emerson, or Trane—and apply for your rebate right on the manufacturer’s website when you make your purchase. What could be easier?

Well, Enbridge makes it even easier than that. They have some handy videos ready for you to help you install your new smart thermostat.

Just jump on this one quickly because this offer disappears on December in this year. Enbridge customers will get their $100 on their bill, and those without an Enbridge account will get a cheque in the mail in about 8 to 10 weeks.

As with anything, though, there are certain qualifications: you can’t be living in a multi-family building, and you home can’t be heated electrically. Otherwise, as long as you have a WiFi connection, you’ll qualify for the rebate.

7 Tips for Saving Money on Your Gas Bill Every Month

After you’ve put all that time and money to your awesome new energy-efficient upgrades, you’re definitely going to want to keep your new additions as good as new for as long as you can so they keep saving you money for years to come.

Provided you keep a routine and adopt an energy-saving, money-saving mindset, which isn’t always easy to do, it is possible to reduce your carbon footprint and your monthly bill for years and years, perhaps even decades! Here’s some tips and ideas to get you started:

Avoid Portable Heaters

Avoid using portable heaters in the winter. While they’re small in size, they’re big in energy sucking. It won’t take long for that to add up on your bill.

Instead, revamp your heating schedule on your handy new smart thermostat and/or take a look at your air sealing and insulation.

Use Area Rugs

I have just one word for you: rugs. Rugs, rugs, rugs. Area rugs are inexpensive and will even enhance the look of your home at the same time as they keep your house and your feet warmer.

Keep Air Filters Clean

I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again. Always clean or replace your air filters no less than every 3 months. You’ll breathe cleaner air, keeping you healthier—especially if you have allergies—but clogged filters make your new furnace work harder longer.

And you’ll never forget to replace your filters if you have a fancy new smart thermostat!

Try Getting Used to Air Drying

While we’re talking about filters, check and clean the filters and drain in your dishwasher regularly so it too isn’t working harder than it needs to. In addition to that simple energy-saving measure, try getting used to air drying the dishes instead of using the heat-dry setting.

It might take a little longer, but it’ll save you a lot of money. Just schedule turning on the dishwasher for a time that works for you to allow for this drying time, such as before you head out in the morning.

Do the $5 Bill Test

Do the $5 bill test on your refrigerator from time to time. Open your door and then stick in a $5 bill. If you can close the door and it holds your money in place, your door seal is still good and still saving your money as well as it saved your $5 bill.

If the bill falls, you need to replace the sealing or you’ll be paying more on your bill than you should.

Light, Medium & Heavy Laundry Loads

Have you ever thought of separating your laundry loads into light, medium, and heavy loads? While I’ve always separated my colours and delicates and such, this one was a new one for me.

Because some items are heavier, they take longer to dry, so why keep all those light items in there with the heavy ones when they don’t need that long to dry? Save yourself some money and just do one or two heavy loads and keep the rest light or medium so you don’t use so much of your precious energy.

Keep Dryer’s Tint Clean

And again, always, always, clean your dryer’s lint trap with every load. And check your outdoor filter every month or so to make sure you don’t have any build up. Keeping these filters clear will increase the life of your dryer, reduce your energy and money consumption, and even reduce the risk of fire!