Snuggling up indoors as you watch the blistery Canadian winter outside may be a relaxing and enjoyable pastime for many Canadians. But if it's costing you a fortune to maintain a warm and cozy home this winter, the thought of rising heating costs may damper those enjoyable and comforting feelings.

If you're one of the seven million under-insulated homes in Canada, chances are that you may be losing a significant amount of heat through your roof resulting in high energy bills. If you're interested in learning how to slow the amount of heat lost in your home this winter, here's some advice from an insulation expert.

“To slow the amount of heat escaping through the roof, all you need to do is add to the amount of insulation you already have in place using PINK FIBERGLAS® batt insulation,” says Cheryl West, Insulation Expert at Owens Corning. “An adequate and evenly distributed layer of 15 inches of batt insulation acts like a hat on top of your head, helping to keep hot air in.”

You can help regulate indoor temperatures by topping up on your attic insulation. It requires only a weekend's worth of work to help increase your savings of energy and money through the winter. Re-insulating the attic can help you save up to 28 per cent* on your energy bills every month, year after year, adding to the long-term benefits of your home.

And there's even more opportunities to save when you take on this home renovation project. The Home Renovation Tax Credit (HRTC) is designed to help homeowners save up to 15 per cent on eligible renovation costs up to maximum of $1,350. If you think it can't get any better, Natural Resources Canada offers an additional $750 in retrofit rebates under the ecoENERGY Retrofit program when you re-insulate your attic. Matching grants are also available in certain provinces and municipalities to help contribute to your project cost savings.

Some incentives are only available for a limited time so re-insulate today to make your home as comfortable as it can be this season. Learn more about the HRTC and instructions on how to insulate your attic by visiting www.insulationtaxcredit.ca and www.actionplan.gc.ca. For details about the ecoENERGY Retrofit Program, visit www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca.

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