Winter is Coming: Maximize Your Savings with Energy-Efficient Siding in Saskatoon

Our fall 2025 blogs have focused on helping you prepare your home for winter. 

In September, we chatted about clearing gutters and made a checklist for autumn yard care.

 The October blog discussed how soffit and fascia maintenance will protect your attic, insulation, and overall budget.

To finish our fall series, we’d like to keep with the theme ‘do a little work now/save a lot of money later’ and focus on the home exterior. We’ll explain how keeping the outside walls in good shape can help your heating bills stay manageable, no matter how low the temperature plummets.

Layering Up: Siding and Insulation

If you’ve lived in Saskatoon for even just one four-season cycle, you know the key to survival when it gets cold is ‘layering’. We do it with our clothes and gear; the same principles apply to your home.

Up to 30% of your home’s heat loss escapes directly through poorly insulated or leaky walls.

So, starting from the outside and moving in, we will consider what materials are best, the effects of old materials on your bottom line, and when you should consider replacing old ‘layers’ of your home exterior.

To stop this waste and keep the heat where you want it, Saskatoon, you need a careful mix of energy-efficient siding and high-R-value insulation. 

Let's look closer at those two layers.

The Outer Layer: Siding

Modern siding is more than just a pretty cover. Insulated vinyl, durable fibre cement, and other composite materials withstand our wild temperature swings and harsh elements, manage all forms of moisture, and keep the winter wind from reaching your home’s core. 

Back to the winter clothing analogy: If you walk outside in a parka that is thin, old, or full of holes, you’ll be cold, and your body will need to constantly compensate by producing energy to stay warmwind howling (ie, shivering!).

Think of your home's exterior walls like that top ‘parka’. A house with crummy old siding will release heat to the outside almost as fast as your furnace can produce, causing miserable, high-cost utility bills. 

Good siding is your first defence against the roughest Saskatchewan can throw at your home.

The Base Layer: Insulation

Heat always moves from a warmer area to a cooler location. The hot air you pay for will constantly attempt to escape outside because Mother Nature (and physics) aren’t interested in helping your budget.

But there is good news: You can offset this law of physics by layering!

Once you have an effective external layer, the next step is establishing a good base layer. For people living through Saskatoon winters, this is merino wool or thermals. For your home, we use insulation.

Insulation is carefully arranged and layered to cover every inch under your siding. The purpose is to create a dense barrier that stops the heat from being sucked into the outside icy air. A metric called R-value measures insulation quality. The higher the R-value, the better the material insulates and reduces that heat transfer.

Do I Need to Spend to Save?

Yes, replacing your exterior is an enormous undertaking, but it’s one of the few home improvements that truly pays for itself over time through increasing energy savings and home value. 

Wrapping Up: 5 Reasons to Upgrade Your Exterior for Energy-Efficient Siding

1. The Investment is Easy in Saskatoon

The City of Saskatoon recognizes how quality exterior work can make homes more energy efficient! The Home Energy Loan Program (HELP) offers low-interest loans specifically for eligible energy efficiency upgrades, which include exterior wall insulation and, in some cases, exterior siding replacement required with the insulation work.

These programs let you enjoy the benefits of a warmer home and lower utility bills without paying the full upfront cost.

2. Significant Energy Cost Reductions 

When you pair high-quality siding with high R-value insulation, a 'thermal barrier' will wrap around your house like a blanket. Your furnace will run less often, and you will see substantial savings on your monthly energy statement. Studies indicate that when you upgrade your siding and add insulation, you can see reductions in heating and cooling costs of up to 20%. 

Month after month, year after year, the dollars saved add up.

3. A Warmer, More Comfortable Home 

It's no fun to get hit by a nasty draft while trying to relax at home. Poorly insulated walls create cold pockets and room temperature swings.

New siding and high-quality insulation can provide stable indoor temperatures, eliminating drafts and cold spots. A steady thermostat can make your living space feel cozy again, even when it’s 40 degrees below, allowing you to banish the fuzzy socks and go barefoot if you feel like it. 

4. Protection from Moisture and Damage 

Newer, high-quality siding is less inclined to expand and shrink wildly, keeping its seals intact, preventing water and snowmelt from penetrating your exterior walls. 

If you protect your home’s interior structure from costly water damage, you’ll avoid many other issues (like mould, wood degradation and wet insulation) during the life of your home. 

5. Instantly Boosted Home Value and Appeal 

Honestly, new siding just looks good!

An exterior renovation is one of the best ways to increase your home’s curb appeal and market value. Potential buyers will pay more for a visually appealing home. (Energy-efficient updates and lower long-term operating costs in the realtor listing are a bonus. )

Beautiful, high-quality energy-efficient siding will make your home stand out in Saskatoon and likely secure a better price when you sell.

What Can You Do Today?

Not everyone has the budget for a complete siding and insulation overhaul. If it’s on your list for the future, it's worth getting a quote from an exterior expert to plan your finances accordingly. 

Meanwhile, a simple, proactive fall maintenance walkabout can help you spot minor issues and deal with them before they become significant problems this winter. 

• Clean the gutters: Avoiding ice dams will help protect your attic from moisture damage.

• Look closely at the roof: Check for damaged or missing shingles so moisture doesn’t get in.

• Caulk and seal weak links: Re-caulk any cracks or gaps you see where your current siding meets doors or windows. Observation and elbow grease are quick and effective ways to instantly reduce air leaks and improve energy efficiency.

Don’t wait for the first deep freeze to realize your home lacks protective layers! Careful observation, a few simple actions (and maybe reaching out to an expert like us), and thoughtful planning can transform your house from a drafty cave into a cozy abode this winter and the ones to come.