CVEC Energy Saving Facts and Figures

1. Winter is coming! Give your water heater a warm jacket if it sits in an unheated space. Adding insulation can reduce standby heat loss by about 35% and reduce water heating costs by close to 10%. Insulating your storage water heater tank isn't difficult or expensive and it will pay for itself quickly, since water heating can consume 15¢ of your energy dollar.
2. Heating and cooling eats up 55¢ of your energy dollar. To save, set your thermostat at 68°. Also, be aware that a heat pump is less efficient as the temperature approaches 32°, which is when the resistance heat option kicks in, costing you more to heat your living space. A safe and efficient secondary heat source can save you money compared to a heat pump alone.
3. Lower your thermostat 3° and save 10-15% on your heating costs.
4. Watch those space heaters. They use about 1500 watts, which is about 13¢ per hour on the CVEC system, more on others. If one ran half of the hours in the day, then it would cost you $48 during that month.
5. Consider adding programmable thermostats. Cut back on heating when everyone is asleep in bed or away to work. Program the thermostat to raise the temperature in time for breakfast or when you get home.
6. Change out the 5 most frequently used light fixtures in your home with compact fluorescent bulbs. They use ¼ of the energy of incandescent bulbs and will save you more than $50 over the lifespan of the CFL (8000 hr life vs. 1000 hr for incandescent).
7. Entertaining for the holidays? Keep the oven door closed or risk losing 30°. Use an ice cooler for cold beverages to keep the fridge cold. A bathroom fan can empty all of the warm air from your home in about an hour. Use an energy star TV to watch the holiday specials.
8. Conserve heated water. Set the water heater thermostat to 115°. A water heater consumes about 40¢ per hour to operate. Use cold water to wash clothes when possible. The water heater can consume 80% of the energy required for washing clothes.
9. Take showers since they only use 10 gallons of water while a bath requires 15-25 gallons of water. A family of four taking 5 minute showers will use 700 gallons of water / week.
10. Find out where you are losing heat:
    1. 31% of heat escapes from the floors, walls & ceilings. Insulate & seal.
    2. 15% of heat escapes from uninsulated or damaged ductwork
    3. 14% of your heat could go up the flue. 24,000 cubic feet of warm air can pass through a chimney in 1 hour, equal to all the air in a 3000 sf. home. That is like having an open 48 inch window open in the mid-winter.