Cold Weather Electric Bills

Some members may see higher electric bills on their next monthly bill as a result of this week’s extreme cold weather. Many people who have a smartPAY account have already noticed their daily energy usage and daily expense has been much higher than usual. One possible reason is the “temperature differential” between the outside and inside temperatures. For example, you keep your thermostat at 70 degrees year-round. In the summer, on a day when the temperature is 95 degrees, your heating/cooling system must work to resolve the 25-degree temperature differential. In other words, the difference between 95 and 70. During recent extreme cold weather, temperatures were as low as 10 degrees in some areas. With the same 70-degree thermostat in the home, the temperature differential on those two days was as much as 60 degrees. That meant your heating/cooling system had to work significantly harder/longer to keep your home at 70 degrees.

Another reason for a higher bill could be the type of heating you have in your home. Strip heat or resistance heat includes devices like baseboard heaters and space heaters. These heaters run continually and consume the most electricity.

Heat pumps, which extract heat from ambient air, work great and are very efficient at heating and cooling our homes — most of the time — but they are not designed to handle sub-freezing temperatures for a long period of time. In extremely cold weather, heat pumps are forced to go into “auxiliary mode” or “emergency mode,” which activates heat strips to generate the necessary hot air for your home. Strip heating uses a lot of electricity in a short period of time, which drives up your overall energy usage and your power bill.

How well your home is weatherized is another factor. Poorly insulated or drafty homes that do not retain indoor heat force heating devices to work longer and harder to maintain an ambient temperature.

WHAT CAN I DO TO PREVENT A HIGHER BILL DURING THE NEXT COLD SNAP?

Here are some ways you can reduce your power bill:

1. For maximum efficiency in the winter, set your thermostat to 68 degrees or adjust it to a temperature that is both comfortable and safe. Each degree change saves you 1 percent on your heating bill.

2. When frigid temperatures hit, heat pumps may be forced to go into “auxiliary mode” to produce heat during the coldest part of the day. This can help heat up your home, but it may also heat up your wallet. Avoid triggering the auxiliary heat by raising your thermostat just two degrees at a time.

3. Install a programmable thermostat so you can adjust the temperature when you are not home.

4. Weatherstrip leaky doors and windows. Sealing air leaks and saves money on utility bills.

5. Lower your water heater temperature to 120F.

6. Delay laundry or running a dishwasher until the warmest part of the day.

7. Replace incandescent lights with more energy-efficient LED bulbs.

8. Unplug devices when not in use.

9. Switch off the lights when you leave the room.

10. In the winter, set your ceiling fans to spin clockwise at low speed. This helps move warm air trapped near the ceiling back out and around the room.

11. Open window coverings on the sunny side of homes and offices during the day to let the sun help heat the space, and close them at night to help retain heat.