Getting Your Home Ready for Winter 2026: A Practical Checklist

Ontario's heating season usually starts in earnest in November, and this year it arrives alongside new electricity prices and a smaller Ontario Electricity Rebate. A few hours of preparation now can lower your bills, reduce the chance of a mid-January breakdown and make your home more comfortable. Here is a checklist the Energy Efficiency Ontario editorial team would work through in our own homes.

Heating system

• Book maintenance. Gas furnaces should be inspected by a licensed G1 or G2 gas technician, ideally every year. Heat pumps benefit from a check of refrigerant charge, coils and defrost operation. Expect a typical tune-up to cost roughly $120–$250 depending on the system and region.
• Change or clean the filter. A clogged filter makes the blower work harder and reduces airflow. Check monthly in winter and replace as needed, often every one to three months.
• Clear vents and returns. Furniture, rugs and curtains over registers reduce comfort and efficiency.
• Test your thermostat. Replace batteries and confirm the schedule. If you have a heat pump, check that backup heat settings make sense.
• Check carbon monoxide alarms. Ontario requires working CO alarms in homes with fuel-burning appliances, a fireplace or an attached garage. Test them and replace any past their expiry date.

See our HVAC maintenance checklist for more detail.

Heat pump owners: outdoor unit

• Keep at least 30–60 cm clear around the outdoor unit and make sure it sits above expected snow depth.
• Make sure roof runoff and ice from eaves cannot drip directly onto it.
• Do not cover the unit with a tarp in winter. It needs airflow to heat.
• Keep thermostat setbacks small, around 1–2 °C, to avoid triggering backup resistance heat.

Air leaks and insulation

Air leakage is often the largest single source of heat loss in older Ontario homes, which typically test at 7–15 air changes per hour at 50 pascals (ACH50) in a blower door test.

• Attic hatch. Weatherstrip it and add rigid insulation to the top. This is a cheap fix that matters.
• Rim joists. In many basements, the band where the floor framing meets the foundation is uninsulated and leaky. Sealing and insulating it is a manageable weekend job for a confident DIYer.
• Penetrations. Seal gaps around plumbing, wiring and vent pipes with caulk or low-expansion foam. Use fire-rated sealant near chimneys and flues.
• Doors and windows. Replace worn weatherstripping and door sweeps. Window insulation film is a low-cost option for drafty single-pane windows.

If your attic insulation is below about R-30, consider upgrading toward R-50 to R-60. The Home Renovation Savings Program has offered up to $1,250 for standalone attic insulation as published in mid-2026; confirm current terms on saveonenergy.ca (opens in a new tab). Our insulation savings calculator can estimate the benefit. See also our air sealing guide.

Thermostat and rate plan

The winter Time-of-Use schedule starts on 1 November. On weekdays, on-peak (18.9¢/kWh) runs 7–11 a.m. and 5–7 p.m., mid-peak (14.6¢) runs 11 a.m.–5 p.m., and off-peak (9.1¢) runs from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and all weekend.

• Gas-heated homes: a 2–3 °C setback overnight and while you are away saves roughly 5–10% on heating.
• All homes: shift laundry, dishwashing and other flexible loads into off-peak hours.
• Review your plan. The Ontario Electricity Rebate drops from 23.5% to 15.7% on 1 November, so many bills will rise. Our electricity price plan calculator can tell you whether Ultra-Low Overnight or Tiered pricing would suit you better. Read more in what the November 2026 price changes mean.

Humidity and ventilation

• Aim for indoor relative humidity of roughly 30–40% in cold weather. Condensation on windows is a sign it is too high for your windows.
• If you have an HRV or ERV, clean the filters and core and check that the outdoor intake is clear of leaves and snow.
• Use bathroom and kitchen exhaust fans to remove moisture at the source.

Water heating

• If your tank water heater is set above 60 °C, consider lowering it to 60 °C. That still controls bacteria while reducing standby losses.
• Insulate the first metre or two of hot water piping, especially in unheated basements.
• If you rent your water heater, check your contract and buyout terms before winter. Our guide to water heater rentals explains what to look for.

Outside the house

• Shut off and drain outdoor hose bibs from inside, unless they are frost-free.
• Clean eavestroughs and make sure downspouts direct water at least 1.5–2 m away from the foundation.
• Check that dryer and furnace vents are clear and their flaps move freely.

If bills are a concern

If your household is struggling with energy costs, you may qualify for support through the Ontario Electricity Support Program (OESP), the Low-income Energy Assistance Program (LEAP), the Energy Affordability Program or the Enbridge Home Winterproofing Program. See our guide to income-qualified energy programs.