Save Energy

Energy use will always be higher during extreme weather conditions.

Why? It takes more energy to heat your home when the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures gets bigger. Your furnace must run more often and work harder during freezing temperatures to maintain your preferred indoor temperature.

Here are some other reasons we use more energy in the winter:

Space heaters and electric fireplaces add noticeably to your bill. This is especially true when you have more than one space heater running for multiple hours every day.
Using EM HEAT or AUXILIARY HEAT on your heat pump uses 3x more electricity. It's easy to forget to turn your heat pump back to the regular HEAT setting when you are finished using emergency/auxiliary heat.
Even the most efficient homes can experience drafts during sub-zero temperatures.

Saving energy is saving money.

Here are some of our best energy-saving tips for the cold, winter months.

As the temperature drops, it takes more energy to heat your home to the same setting. Put simply, the greater the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the more energy required to keep you comfortable.

Cover drafty windows and doors.

Use insulated drapes, shades, or curtains to cover windows. If this does not work, seal them with heavy-duty plastic film. A good rule is that the heat will escape if you see light through cracks in your windows and doors. If you notice light under an outside door, place a blanket or draft stopper at the base of your door to keep the heat inside.

Learn how your furnace works.

A heat pump with emergency (EM) or auxiliary (AUX) heat turned on significantly impacts energy use. The EM or AUX settings bypass your heat pump completely and turn your backup heating system on 100% of the time. While this may be necessary during extreme cold, it’s important to turn on/off emergency heat when it is not needed. Accidentally setting your thermostat to EM HEAT/AUX HEAT mode all the time is a very costly mistake during extremely cold weather. Auxiliary heat consumes electricity at a rate three times greater than standard heat pump usage, leading to much higher energy bills.

Limit the use of space heaters.

Space heaters and electric fireplaces make a noticeable difference in your energy bill. If you run space heaters for multiple hours a day, you will significantly increase your electric bill.

Lower your water heater settings.

Experts recommend keeping the water temperature on a warm setting (120 F). If you have a large water heater (50 gallons or more), be aware that it is less efficient and more expensive to run than smaller units. Electric water heaters account for the second-highest energy expense after heating and cooling your home. Lowering the water temperature can make a noticeable difference in your bill.

Check your fireplace.

Be sure to close the fireplace damper when not burning a traditional fireplace. Electric fireplaces are generally more expensive to run than gas fireplaces. Think of your electric fireplace as a giant space heater that requires a lot of energy to heat your home.

Keep the water heater on the warm setting (120°F).
Replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed.
Open curtains on the south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to heat the home naturally and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
Install insulating drapes or shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.
Regularly clean the flue vent of wood and pellet-burning heaters and periodically clean the inside of the appliance with a wire brush to ensure that it is heating efficiently.
Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney.

Increase your thermostat a degree or two to save energy.
Avoid setting your AC colder than usual when you first turn it on.
Use the bathroom fan after you shower to get rid of heat and humidity.
Don’t put lamps or TVs near the thermostat.
Clean your air vents regularly to remove dust.
Make sure nothing blocks the air coming from the vents.
Open curtains for natural light but avoid direct sunlight.
Wash full loads of dishes and clothes to save energy.
Set your water heater to no more than 120 degrees.
Run ceiling fans counterclockwise to create a cooling breeze.
Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible.

Energy-Saving Calculators

Learn where your energy dollars are going by using our energy-saving calculators.

Click Here

Home Energy Adventure

Learn how energy efficient you are, as well as how you can improve your home’s energy efficiency.

Click Here

Save Energy

No/Low Cost Winter Savings

No/Low Cost Fall Savings

No/Low Cost Summer Savings

Invest in Energy Savings