Wholesale electric power prices have gotten so high, we want to let our customers know when the best times are to reduce power usage and when power costs are less expensive. Voluntary reduction in usage during the highest-priced hours and deferral of usage to less expensive hours will reduce our costs and save all our customers money. To help us promote this voluntary conservation and rescheduling of electric power usage by our customers, we are providing a forecasted hourly power cost for hourly costs each day. We will also provide example measures our customers can use to implement these energy conservation and cost reduction measures.

Energy Saving Tips

External Site Links:

Energy-Saving Tips from the U.S. Department of Energy

Consumer Guide To Home Energy Savings
from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy

Energy use in homes based on national averages…

Heating and Cooling: 44%
Heating and cooling systems use less energy when they are properly maintained. Old, inefficient furnaces should be upgraded. Save up to 10% by replacing old inefficient air conditioners with Energy Star qualified ones.

Lighting, cooking and other appliances: 33%
Energy Star qualified compact fluorescent light bulbs are a simple and cost effective way to cut energy used for lighting. Fluorescent lamps are much more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last 6-10 times longer.

Refrigerator: 9 %
Old refrigerators are energy hogs. Save 2-3% by replacing refrigerators more than 15 years old, even if they still work well.

Water heating: 14%
Less heat will escape from your water heater if you reduces your hot water temperature and add an insulating blanket. About 80% to 85% of the enrgy used for washing clothes is for heating the water. Two ways to reduce the amount of energy used for washing clothes is to use less water and use cooler water.

Insulation and Weatherization
Air leaks

Ducts: 15%
Ducts, one of the most important systems in your home, may be wasting a lot of your energy dollars. All ducts should be insulated for maximum efficiency. Apply a sealant or caulk around areas where air is leaking.

Plumbing: 13%
Use caulk around pipes where they pass through floors, ceilings and outside walls.

Windows: 10%
Storm windows do a great job of keeping cold air out in the winter. Storm windows can reduce your heat loss through the windows by 25% to 50 %. Storm windows should have weather stripping at all moveable joints. Weather stripping provides a barrier between the fixed and movable sections of doors and windows.

Floors, walls and ceilings: 31%
Caulk should be used around windows, doorframes and sills and joints to stop air from getting in our out of your home.

Doors: 11 %
Storm doors and weather stripping can be usd to stop air from leaking in our out of your home.

Vents: 4 %
Close dampers when not in use.

Fireplace: 14%
Close the fireplace damper when not in use to prevent warm air from escaping through the chimney.

Electric outlets: 2%
Outlet gaskets are available in many hardware stores to combat air leakage problems of this scenario.

Heating and Cooling

Heating and cooling your home uses more energy and drains more energy dollars than any other system in your home. Typically, 56% of your utility bills goes toward heating and cooling.

No matter what kind of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system you have in your home, you can save money and increase your comfort by properly maintaining and upgrading your equipment. By combining proper equipment maintenance and upgrades with appropriate insulation, air sealing, and thermostat settings, you can cut your energy bills and your pollution output in half.

Cooling Tips

• Set your thermostat on your air conditioner as high as is comfortable for you and your family;
  
  
• Don’t set your thermostat at a colder seting than normal when you turn on your air conditioner. It will not cool your home any faster and could result in excessive cooling, and therefore, unnecessary expense;
  
  
• Consider using an interior fan in conjunction with your window air conditioner to spread the cooled air more effectively through your home without greatly increasing your power use;
  
  
• Whole-house fans help cool your home by pulling cool air through the house and exhausting warm air through the attic. They are effective when operated at night and when the outside air is cooler than the inside;
  
  
• Look for a high Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio (SEER) for your air conditioners. The current minimum is 10 SEER, increasing to 13 SEER in January 2006 for central air. Energy Star models are 12 SEER or more. The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy lists the energy performance of the more energy-efficient furnaces, boilers, AC units, and heat pumps on its web site: www.aceee.org;
  
  
• Don’t place lamps or TV sets near your air-conditioning thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioner to run longer than necessary;
  
  
• Keep the window coverings (shades, drapes, etc) closed during the day to prevent solar gain;
  
  
• Plant trees or shrubs to shade air conditioning units but not to block the airflow.
  
  
• Place your room air conditioner on the north side of the house. A unit operating in the shade uses as much as 10% less electricity than the same one operating in the sun.
  
  
• Carefully positioned trees can save up to 25% of a typical household’s energy used for heating and cooling;
  
  
• Keep in mind that insulation and sealing air leaks will help your energy performance in the summertime by keeping the cool air inside;
  
  
• You can save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills by simply turning your thermostat back 10% to 15% for eight hours. Using a programmable thermostat, you can adjust the times you turn on the air conditioning according to a pre-set schedule. As a result, the equipment doesn’t operate as much when you are asleep or when the house or part of the house is not occupied.
  
  
• If you would like additional information on the latest energy-saving tips, visit www.energysavers.gov
  
  
  
• To view Energy Savers tips on Saving Energy & Money at Home booklets online, go to the U.S. Department of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s website: www.eere.energy.gov/consumer/tips.
  
  
  TMLP will also have copies on hand at our 33 Weir Street location.
  

Long-term energy improvements

When buying new appliances, check the energy rating. Always buy an Energy Star rated appliance. You may qualify for a TMLP rebate.

Install thermal or storm windows or double-paned window. A less-expensive alternative is plastic sheeting that can be temporarily fastened over doors and windows to prevent drafts and retain heat.

Check to see if the attic and basement have the recommended levels of insulation.