The Eureka area recently was impacted by severe cold temperatures that felt like a polar vortex. Temperatures dropped below zero; ponds froze, pets didn't want to venture outdoors, and furnaces worked around the clock to keep indoor ambient temperatures comfortable. Improperly insulated homes fared the worst during the bitter cold; homes that
cannot hold heat rely on a constant flow of furnace heat, resulting in high heating costs.
If homeowners anticipate a high electric or natural gas bill this month, it's time to conduct an energy audit. Learn energy-efficient practices and energy-saving tips that help keep the home warmer and the utility bills cooler.
Table of Contents:
What is an Energy Audit?
Why is My Electric Bill So High?
Poor Insulation Leads to an Overworked HVAC System
Furnace Issues in Extreme Cold
The Thermostat is Too High
The Best Energy-Saving Strategies to Save Money
Insulate Windows
Circulate the Air: Which Way Should a Ceiling Fan Rotate in the Winter?
How to Seal Up Air Leaks in Your Home
How to Set Up a Thermostat to Save Money
Check the Water Heater
Schedule HVAC Maintenance Appointment
FAQ: Energy Usage in the Winter
Synopsis:
A DIY home energy audit helps homeowners take control of utility costs and make changes that help save money. Heating and cooling account for the largest percentage of energy use in the home. Minimizing heat waste helps lower this crucial energy drain in the home.
What is an Energy Audit?
An energy audit is a professional or DIY assessment of the home's energy consumption. This audit examines each room for energy waste and helps homeowners identify areas of improvement.
Homeowners can hire a professional auditor to assess their homes and help them learn the necessary changes to rectify their high energy consumption. Search for reputable auditors by visiting the Residential Energy Services Network.
How to Conduct a DIY Audit
Homeowners can conduct a DIY energy audit for a simple and affordable solution to assess energy efficiency. Conducting the audit necessitates investigating the energy use and issues in every room of the home. Here's what to assess:
Air leaks around doors and windows. Feel around external doors and look for unsealed areas. If homeowners can see light through a door's sides, there is a leak. Basic leaks require new weatherstripping to seal the area.
Energy vampires. This term refers to devices, plugs, and appliances that are not in use but still pull electricity. Unplug any unused devices and appliances.
Water drips and leaks. Water waste contributes to high bills, too. Check for plumbing issues and fix leaky faucets.
Vent airflow. How efficient is the HVAC? Does warm or cold air flow easily through the vents, or does the homeowner notice weak airflow?
Use this chart to learn more about what to check while conducting an energy audit in each room of the home:
Room | Energy Audit Checkpoints |
Bedroom |
|
Kitchen |
|
Bathrooms |
|
Living Room / Rec Areas |
|
HVAC Issues?
After checking each room for energy leaks or other concerns, homeowners also should assess their HVAC system. If the vent airflow seems weak, check the air filter. Often, homeowners fail to change the filter; a dirty air filter causes the system to work harder and obstructs airflow.
If the filter is clean and airflow is weak or if the air is cold (instead of warm during the winter), homeowners should schedule an HVAC maintenance appointment. There could be other issues with the system.
Why is My Electric Bill so High?
High energy bills frustrate homeowners and can lead to financial stress. Homeowners might wonder why their bills are suddenly higher than normal. There are several reasons, and while some are a simple fix, others are a bit more complicated.
Poor Insulation Leads to an Overworked HVAC System
Poorly insulated homes or homes with old windows cause cold air to leak into the home. The law of thermodynamics states that heat finds cold. When heating a poorly insulated home, the system must work harder and turn on more often to compensate for the cold air flowing into the home. The constant activity from the system uses a lot of electricity (or natural gas), leading to a much higher usage cost.
Furnace Issues in Extreme Cold
Temperatures in the region dropped below zero. When the external temperature is extremely low, the furnace must heat the home more frequently to maintain the set temperature. Even if the thermostat is set low (around 65), the furnace needs to kick out enough heat to warm the home 65 degrees higher than the external temperature!
Properly insulated homes keep this heat trapped inside, lessening the pressure on the HVAC system. However, poorly insulated homes or those with old or leaky windows require the heat to activate frequently–perhaps every 15 minutes. Energy use soars, and the bill reflects the increased usage.
The Thermostat is Too High
Some homeowners love their homes to feel balmy and warm. How warm is too warm, though? That answer depends on personal comfort and personal budget, too! By increasing the temperature on the thermostat, the homeowner needs to understand that the furnace will work harder to heat the home and turn it on more frequently to meet the heating requirements.
Expect high energy costs when the thermostat is set to 74 degrees Fahrenheit during a bitter cold below-zero day!
These are the Best Energy-Saving Strategies to Save Money
A high energy bill feels overwhelming. If homeowners pay too much for electricity or natural gas each month, it's time to make changes. Homeowners can reduce their monthly utility bills but must take action.
Here are six simple ways to reduce energy costs during winter.
Insulate Windows
New windows are expensive, and many homeowners cannot afford to replace all of their home's older windows. When homeowners notice that windows are an energy drain, they can utilize one simple solution: window film!
Home Depot and other stores sell a film that affixes over windows using the warmth of a hairdryer. The film aims to keep the heat in and reduce cold air leaks. This solution isn't permanent, but it helps homeowners reduce their energy consumption and the pressure from the furnace caused by cold air leaking into the home.
Circulate the Air: Which Way Should a Ceiling Fan Rotate in the Winter?
Does your home have a beautiful high vaulted ceiling? Remember that hot air rises and that warmth could be stuck near the top of the vault. Use ceiling fans to circulate the air and pull warm air down. During winter, homeowners must adjust the ceiling fan rotation to a clockwise direction. Some ceiling fan remotes include a button that reverses the rotation, but many fans must be manually redirected.
How to Seal Up Air Leaks in Your Home
Window film seals air leaks for windows, but sealing external doors requires a different approach. When homeowners notice gaps around their doors, they must apply new weatherstripping to seal around them. Weatherstripping is inexpensive; most homeowners can handle this project without a pro.
How to Set Up a Thermostat to Save Money
If the energy bill is making your blood boil, check the thermostat. Nudging down the temperature reduces energy use and lowers the bill. Many thermostats include programmable technology that allows homeowners to set the temperature lower when they are away from home or at work. Use these programs to control energy waste.
Smart thermostats offer homeowners a high-tech advantage; these thermostats use an app via a phone or tablet. Homeowners control the temperature via these apps and can make adjustments remotely, too.
Check the Water Heater
The water heater requires either natural gas or electricity to warm the water. Some homeowners have their water heater set to a temperature that is too high. However, setting the temperature too low also can pose health risks.
The Department of Energy reports that many water heater manufacturers set the temperature to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, which increases the risk of burns and injury. A temperature of 120 degrees Fahrenheit offers better energy efficiency, although the DoE advises that higher temperatures might be advisable for individuals with compromised immune systems. Legionnaires Disease thrives in lower water temperatures, which poses a risk to immune-compromised individuals.
Schedule an HVAC Maintenance Appointment
An inefficient or malfunctioning furnace works harder to warm the home, draining energy and causing costs to soar. When homeowners notice weak vent airflow that remains poor even after changing the filter or if the air does not feel as warm as it should, contact the Saylors Systems Heating and Air team to schedule an appointment.
Homeowners must schedule yearly maintenance checks for their air conditioning and furnaces. These appointments help ensure that small issues are fixed quickly and don't compromise the functionality and durability of the HVAC system. Ideally, homeowners should schedule air conditioning check-ups in the spring and furnace appointments for early fall.
FAQ: Energy Usage in the Winter
Why is my electricity bill all of a sudden so high?
Heating and cooling use the most energy use in a home. GreenLogic reports that heating and cooling account for nearly 50 percent of the home's energy use (47 percent, to be precise). If the days are bitterly cold, expect energy use to soar because of the extra pressure on the furnace / HVAC system.
What is the average electric bill in Missouri?
EnergySage reports that Missourians pay an average of $203 monthly on electricity.
What raises the electric bill the most?
Heating and cooling the home substantially impacts energy bills. When usage is much higher than normal, the culprit might be the HVAC usage.
Why am I using so much natural gas?
Natural gas furnaces use more natural gas to heat the home when temperatures drop. In addition, older appliances also can consume more natural gas.
What uses the most gas in a house?
The furnace! Remember that heating and cooling the home is the largest drain on energy consumption for the entire home.
Comentarios