The polar vortex literally made our old house shiver this winter, and the utility bills to heat the house made my husband and I shiver even more, as our $400 a month bill continued to climb as temperatures plunged again. And again. And again.
With several months of winter still ahead of us, I carefully read the current bill from People's Gas, and noticed the following message:
"Enroll in Budget Billing today to help manage your gas bills. Simply pay exactly $163.00 instead of the amount due shown on your payment coupon by your bill due date. Your monthly payment will be $163.00."
So the first thing I did to manage our utility bills was to pay the specified amount and - voila! - we were set up in the Budget Payment Plan. We received a letter that confirmed our enrollment, with an overview of how the program worked. Very straightforward and easy.
People's Gas estimates how much natural gas you'll use based on the previous year and calculates a monthly payment over the full year (12 months). Halfway through the budget year, they'll adjust to reflect gas price changes, actual usage or extreme weather impacts. Periodic adjustments spread the cost out so you don't get socked with a huge bill at year-end.
My next step was to find out what we could do to tighten up our old house to reduce our overall energy costs - and losses. I knew our old house - with its balloon framing - would have lots of room for improvement in the areas of sealing and insulation. But what else could we do?
People's Gas has a bunch of Heating Tips. These are still on MY list:
* Install a programmable thermostat (1 type works with steam boilers: To do)
* Install a ceiling fan (This will be more noticeable in summer; we'll think about it).
* Insulate the home (Working on this next!!!)
* Seal and insulate ducts (Working on this one).
* Seal leaks with weather stripping (Working on this too).
For each item, there is an estimated Skill Level, Cost and Savings figure. A programmable thermostat could save $180 a year. Furnace tune-ups and insulation could each save you 10% on your monthly bill and sealing ducts and weatherstripping could each save 20% on your bills. Don't forget your water! Check out water heater savings tips:
* Lower your water heater temperature (we had it serviced and had to turn it up to get enough hot water for showers. As water heaters age, the technician said, you usually turn up the dial bit by bit; once you get to the high setting, your unit is near time to be replaced. (Makes sense).
* Use less hot water (We're doing this with low-flow showerheads and aerators, etc. See my previous posts on water OR my blog posts on SurgeForWater.org)
* Insulate water heaters and pipes (Our pipes are covered but our water heater is not).
Okay, we have a list and can start some things ourselves such as: (1) finding a programmable thermostat; (2) getting an insulating water heater "jacket;" and (3) installing weather stripping around our front and back doors.
For folks looking to upgrade a furnace or water heater or making major changes, check the utility company sites: there are lots of programs to help customers reduce energy costs and usage - including free programs such as Home Energy Jumpstart (see my previous blog on that subject) and rebates.
For MY house, that still leaves the motherlode of energy savings: Sealing and Insulation. And for that - we called professionals for a Home Energy Assessment to see exactly where we've got issues. Or perhaps I should say "opportunities" to save energy and money going forward.
Stay tuned for the next post to find out what we learned with the "Red Door" test, also known as the Blower Door test in our house. (Note: This was pretty cool!!)
You can also find a lot of great information and detailed instructions and videos on how to conduct your own Home Energy Audit on Department of Energy's site.
No comments:
Post a Comment