Welcome. Saving money on your home bills starts now. You can reduce energy waste in your house today. Randall The Handyman helps homeowners in Vancouver and Burnaby. Follow this guide to lower your costs.
Start with the Envelope
The envelope is the shell of your home. Heat escapes through gaps in the shell. You must stop this air flow.
Walk to your front door. Look at the edges. Look for light. Feel for a breeze. Buy weatherstripping from a store. Clean the door frame first. Peel the backing from the foam. Press the foam onto the frame. Close the door to test the seal. Do this for every exterior door in your West End condo or Richmond house.
Check your windows next. Gaps around glass lose heat. Buy a tube of caulk. Load the tube into a caulk gun. Cut the tip of the tube. Squeeze the trigger. Move the gun along the window seam. Fill every crack you see. Smooth the caulk with your finger. Let the caulk dry.
Check the baseboards in your Yaletown home. Air moves through the floor gaps. Use caulk on these gaps too. Check the outlets on outside walls. Buy foam gaskets. Remove the outlet cover. Place the gasket inside. Replace the cover. This stops cold air from entering your room.
Insulate the Attic
Heat rises. Most heat leaves through the roof. Most homes in North Vancouver need more insulation.
Go to your attic. Look at the floor. You should see insulation. Measure the depth with a ruler. The depth should reach ten inches. If you see wood floor joists, you need more.
Adding insulation is a big job. You can buy rolls of fiberglass. Lay the rolls between the joists. Do not cover the vents. Vents let the house breathe. If you cover them, you get mold.
Call Randall The Handyman for attic work. We serve the Westside and East Vancouver. We check your levels and then add material. Insulation keeps the heat down in the winter. It keeps the heat out in the summer. Your furnace will run less often. Your bills will drop immediately.
Focus on Your Lighting
Old bulbs waste power. They get hot. That heat is wasted energy.
Walk through every room in your house. Turn off the lights. Let the bulbs cool. Remove every glass bulb. Buy LED bulbs. Look for the Energy Star logo. Screw the new bulbs into the sockets.
LED bulbs use less electricity. They last for many years. You will not buy bulbs again for a long time. Change the lights in your kitchen. Change the lights in your bathroom. Do not forget the porch light. This is a simple task for any UBC student or homeowner on Main St.
Manage Your Water
Water heating costs money. You can save by changing habits and hardware.
Check your water heater tank. Feel the outside. If the tank is warm, it is losing heat. Buy an insulation blanket. Wrap the blanket around the tank. Secure it with tape. This keeps the water hot longer.
Check the temperature dial on the tank. Many tanks are set too high. Turn the dial to 120 degrees. This is hot enough for showers. It is hot enough for dishes. You save money every time the heater clicks on.
Look at your faucets in South Vancouver. Look for drips. One drip per second wastes gallons of water. Call Randall to fix the leak. We replace the washers then test the flow.
Install low-flow showerheads. Unscrew the old head. Wrap the threads with tape. Screw the new head on. These heads use less water but keep the pressure. You use less hot water every morning.
Upgrade Your HVAC Maintenance
Your furnace works hard in Burnaby and North Vancouver. Give it a break.
Find your furnace filter. Pull it out. Look at the color. If it is grey, replace it. Buy a new filter. Slide it into the slot. A clean filter lets air move easily. Your furnace does not have to push hard. This saves power. Do this every three months.
Check your vents. Move furniture away from them. Do not cover vents with rugs. Air must circulate. Open all the vents in the house. Closing vents does not save money. It makes the system work harder.
Install a Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat manages your heat. It learns your schedule.
Buy a smart thermostat. Turn off the power at the breaker. Remove the old thermostat. Connect the wires to the new base. Snap the screen on. Turn the power back on. Connect the device to your phone.
Set the heat lower when you are at work. Set it lower when you sleep. Raise it when you come home. You do not waste money heating an empty house in Kerrisdale. This device pays for itself in one year.
Check the Exterior
Your roof and gutters protect the house. Water damage is expensive.
Look at your gutters in South Main St. Remove the leaves. Remove the dirt. Ensure water flows away from the house. If gutters leak, water hits the foundation. Damp walls are cold walls. Cold walls cost more to heat.
Check your dryer vent on the outside wall. Ensure the flap opens and closes. Clean the lint out. A clogged vent makes the dryer run longer. It also is a fire risk. Clean it once a year.
Professional Help and Pricing
Some tasks are hard. Randall The Handyman is here to help. We provide reliable service across Vancouver.
Our pricing is simple. We charge $120 for the first hour of work. We charge $85 for each additional hour. There are no hidden fees. We bring the tools. We do the work. You save the money on your bills.
We serve these areas:
- Kerrisdale
- West End
- Yaletown
- East Vancouver
- UBC
- Westside
- South Vancouver
- Burnaby
- Richmond
- North Vancouver
- West Vancouver
- Main St
- South Main St
Your Next Steps
Stop wasting money today. Start with the air leaks. Buy your supplies this weekend.
- Check your doors for drafts.
- Replace your light bulbs with LEDs.
- Lower your water heater temperature.
- Clean your furnace filter.
- Call Randall for the big jobs.
Visit https://randallthehandyman.com to book a service. We can help with insulation, caulking, and repairs. Take control of your home energy now. Save your money for better things. We look forward to working with you.
