energy wise
Plunging Temps Cause Higher Bills Heating systems battle to maintain comfort during cold spells
E
veryone likes the idea of paying less for utility bills, but resolving to use less energy require a commitment.
With winter in full swing, now is the perfect time to make energy- efficiency a priority in your home.
For some Kiwash Electric members, winter heating costs can be higher than summer cooling costs. That’s because the laws of nature dictate how heat behaves on Earth. Remember, heat moves to cool.
On a cold winter day, the heat generated by a heating source is moving through building materials, cracks around doors and windows, unsealed holes created by electrical and plumbing installations, and poorly installed and inadequate insulation.
Furthermore, winter usually doles out a larger temperature difference between the indoor thermostat setting and the outdoor temperature. The greater that temperature difference, the more energy is required to maintain the desired temperature inside your home.
So how do you know if your home is energy efficient? Here’s a simple way to find out, based on your average monthly utility usage. Simply multiply the square footage of your home by 10 cents. For instance, a 1,500-square-foot home multiplied by 10 cents (.10) equals $150.00. A 2,000-square-foot home multiplied by 10 (.10) cents equals $200. And so on.
Next, calculate your total electric bills for a one-year period. If you heat with natural gas or propane, be sure to add those bills into the total.
Next, divide the total by 12 months
to establish the monthly average. If your monthly average exceeds the square-footage multiplied by 10 cents (.10) calculation, you could probably benefit from some energy efficiency improvements.
You can find easy-to-follow energy saving suggestions and podcasts at
www.smartenergytips.org, or take the energy-saving home tour at
www.togetherwesave.com. ■
How To Estimate Your Home’s Energy Efficiency
To estimate your home’s energy efficien- cy, take your average electric bill and divide it by the square footage of your home. For example, an 1,800 square-foot home with a $260 electric bill will cost $0.14 per square foot. *
$260 1,800 sq. ft = $0.14 /sq. ft.
This home would benefit from some energy saving improvements. Calculate your home’s cost per square foot and see how it ranks on the scale to the right.
*Calculations are based on an all-electric home without a pool or hot tub.
Needs Improvement Could Be Improved Energy Efficient
ENERGY EFFICIENCY Tip of the Month
Did you know that 90 percent of the energy used to operate a washing machine comes from using hot water? A simple switch from hot to cold can save a great deal of energy! Also, consider air drying or even line drying to save even more household energy.
Source: Department of Energy
We PAY For Your Peace of Mind
when you purchase a whole- home generator and enroll it in Kiwash Electric’s Peak Buster program.
Peak Buster pays you from $32.50
to $60 per month for allowing your generator to run during periods of extreme system-wide electricity use.
Call us today for more details at 888-832-3362 or visit us online at
www.kiwash.coop.
Peak buster
Kilowatt | FEBRUARY 2015 | 3
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