Tips to Help Control Energy Usage This Winter

With no quick fix for the current energy crisis in the foreseeable future, West Florida Electric Cooperative (WFEC) feels it is important now more than ever to provide our members with a variety of energy-saving programs, products and services to assist them with controlling costs. This article will cover various ways member-owners can prepare their homes and wallets for the upcoming winter months. Electric bills are typically higher in the colder and hotter months each year. Here are some ways you can help reduce some of your energy usage and in turn, your energy bills.

Weatherize Your Home

Check the insulation in attics, ceilings, floors, exteriors and basement walls or crawl spaces to make sure it’s in tip-top shape and at the recommended levels for your area. Insulation keeps your home warm in the winter and cool in the summer. There are several common types of insulation — fiberglass (in both batt and blown forms), cellulose, rigid foam board, and spray foam. When correctly installed with air sealing, each type of insulation can deliver comfort and lower energy bills during the hottest and coldest times of the year.

Insulation performance is measured by R-value — its ability to resist heat flow. Higher R-values mean more insulating power. Different R-values are recommended for walls, attics, basements and crawlspaces, depending on your area of the country. In WFEC’s service area, R-38 is recommended for ceilings, R-19 for walls and R-19 for floors. Insulating your home’s slab is also recommended. Insulation works best when air is not moving through or around it. So it is very important to seal air leaks before installing insulation to ensure that you get the best performance from the insulation.
Insulating heating ducts and keeping them in good repair to prevent heat loss is also important. The system can lose up to 60 percent of its warmed air before it reaches the register if ducts are not properly insulated in unheated areas such as attics and crawlspaces. Insulating the hot water heater and hot water pipes can also provide significant energy and money savings.

Test your home for air leaks. You can save 10 percent or more on your energy bill by reducing the air leaks in your home. On a windy day, stand next to windows, doors, electrical outlets, and light fixtures. If you can feel a draft, you have an air leak that may need caulking, sealing, or weather stripping. Sealing these leaks with caulk, spray foam, or weather stripping will have a great impact on improving your comfort and reducing utility bills. Homeowners are often concerned about sealing their house too tightly; however, this is very unlikely in most older homes. A certain amount of fresh air is needed for good indoor air quality and there are specifications that set the minimum amount of fresh air needed for a house. Ventilation exhaust fans are often overlooked, but in just one hour, kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans can pull out a houseful of warmed air. Turn off ventilation exhaust fans as soon as they’ve done the job.

Seal your duct work. In houses with forced-air heating and cooling systems, ducts are used to distribute conditioned air throughout the house. In a typical house, however, about 20 percent of the air that moves through the duct system is lost due to leaks and poorly sealed connections. The result is higher utility bills and difficulty keeping the house comfortable, no matter how the thermostat is set.

Because some ducts are concealed in walls and between floors, repairing them can be difficult. However, exposed ducts in attics, basements, crawlspaces, and garages can be repaired by sealing the leaks with duct sealant (also called duct mastic). As previously mentioned, insulating ducts that run through spaces that get hot in summer or cold in winter (like attics, garages, or crawlspaces) can save significant energy.

Service Your Heat Pump

If you haven’t done so already, have a qualified technician inspect and service your system to ensure it’s safe and working at peak efficiency. Trim or remove grass, weeds, leaves, etc. from around the outdoor unit of your heating system. When airflow is blocked, it puts a strain on the system and lowers efficiency.

If you have a forced-air heating system (heat pump), clean or replace the filter monthly and keep heat vents open and unobstructed by furniture. If you have a gas or oil furnace, consider adding a high-efficiency heat pump. It could save you up to 40 percent on heating costs and keep you cool next summer.
A heat pump is an energy efficient appliance that provides both heating in the winter and cooling in the summer.

Operate Your Heat Pump Properly

Installing a programmable thermostat to help reduce energy usage is a good idea. The energy savings will offset the cost of a basic unit in less than a year. Programming your thermostat from 68 degrees to 60 degrees for eight hours a day while no one is home, or while everyone is tucked in bed, can significantly reduce your heating costs.

If you have a standard thermostat, set it at 68 degrees. For every degree you lower the thermostat, you could gain as much as four percent savings in heating costs. Setting your heat at the lowest possible setting while maintaining your comfort and leaving it there is an important tip to help you manage your energy costs. If you need to adjust the thermostat up during the winter, move it gradually one degree at a time until comfortable. You should leave the thermostat set at the lowest comfortable setting unless you will be out of your home for an extended period of time. The goal is to try to keep the heat strips from coming on.

These and other tips available in the Energy Efficient Resources section of our Web site, www.westflorida.coop , will help you manage your energy costs this winter. The cooperative also provides information to conduct your own energy audit. These audits are a great, inexpensive way to identify areas in your home that need additional insulation, have leaks and assist in troubleshooting problems with your heating and cooling system.