ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS FOR YOUR HOME
Natural gas prices are currently 35% to 40% higher than last year. Even at the current prices, natural gas is still the best value based on Btu’s compared to propane, heating oil and crude oil. Electric rates are rising due to the fact that natural gas is being used to generate electricity. Two of the biggest factors that impact your utility bill are weather and consumption. As temperatures drop, your furnace works harder (and consumes more energy) to keep your home warm. As a result, your usage, and your utility bill, will go up. Now is a good time for customers to prepare their home for the upcoming winter weather by making home improvements and taking energy conservation measures. By preparing now, you can help control your usage, and your heating costs. ENERGY EFFICIENCY TIPS • Sign up for budget billing to minimize service interruptions due to non-payment. • Check and clean or replace your furnace filter once each month. Keeping clean filters in the system can save as much as 20% of the operating costs, and will increase the life of the system. • Keep your fireplace damper closed tightly when not in use. • Consider replacement windows—double pane and/or storm windows could reduce your energy usage by 25% to 50%. A less expensive alternative is plastic sheeting, which can be temporarily fastened over doors and windows to prevent drafts and retain heat. • Use a programmable thermostat. Each degree your thermostat is reduced can potentially save you 3% on your heating bill. • Consider insulating your attic. This could reduce your heat and cooling usage by 30%. • Change the rotation of your ceiling fan to clockwise. This will push the warm air at the ceiling down into the living area. • Perform annual maintenance on heating equipment for proper operation. Replace old, less efficient heating systems and appliances with high-efficiency models. • Keep the cold out. Seal air leaks around doors and windows with caulking, weather stripping. We hope this information will