How to keep warm and lower your energy bill

You may have noticed an increase in energy usage on your most recent bill. We’re often asked how energy use can increase when no changes have been made to a thermostat. It’s a great question and one that can be explained by comparing our homes to a cup of coffee.

During hot summer months, when we take our cup of coffee outside, it remains warm for quite some time. When cold weather hits, that same cup of coffee cools down rather quickly. Just like our cup of coffee, our homes retain and release heat differently throughout the year. The more heat our homes release, the more energy it takes to warm them back up. A cup of coffee can be warmed up in a few seconds. A house, on the other hand, takes a bit more effort from its heating system – and more effort means more energy.

Just three days of temperatures 10-14 degrees below normal can cause our homes to use 25-50% more energy than usual. There are ways we can protect our home from getting the chills, though. Keep cold air out and warm air in by:

• Installing weather strip and caulking around windows and doors. A ¼” gap at the bottom of a door is equivalent to a softball sized hole in the wall.
• Closing the damper on the fireplace, when not in use. This prevents up to 25% of our home’s heat from escaping out the chimney.
• Close curtains and blinds when the sun isn’t shining. Installing window plastic will also prevent cold air drafts.