Winter Can Mean High Bills - Here are Some Energy Saving Tips

Winter often brings higher electricity bills because cold drives up usage.

(Most of the time, increases are due to actual usage, rather than meter malfunctions.)

Here are some common winter causes of higher usage, and tips for addressing it.

Electric heating/space heaters. Depending on how high it’s set and how long it runs, electric resistance heating systems can use a lot of electricity. Tip: Use thermostats and timers to help keep heat running only when needed. Be sure windows and doors are tightly closed, especially in rooms you don’t use often.

Water heaters. If you have an electric water heater, usage can increase if you use an unusual amount of hot water over a given period. Tip: Use cold-water wash cycles in the laundry, take showers instead of baths, use the dishwasher instead of using faucet water to clean dishes, and install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators.

Engine heaters. Engine block heaters for tractors and trucks can also increase usage during frigid weather. Tip: only use when necessary. If you don’t expect to use the equipment, don’t warm it up.

More time at home. When we spend more time inside which means more power for entertainment systems, lights and heating-related fans. Tip: Turn lights off when they are not needed, or use timers and be sure TVs and entertainment systems are off when not in use.

There are certain other devices that are harder to modulate, so cold weather simply adds to usage as long as they run. Electric heat tapes are one such technology. During periods of extended cold weather, necessary heat tapes around pipes, under mobile homes, and in other places can increase usage.

Necessary livestock water anti-freeze systems, heat lamps for chickens, and even indoor fish tanks, especially if they are in a cold room, can all increase usage, too.

SmartHub can help. If you’re having trouble zeroing in on the causes of high usage in your home, you can use SmartHub to help pinpoint the culprits. Here’s how:

Turn off each of your breakers, one at a time, for an hour at a time each. Record the times you turned each breaker on and off. The next day on SmartHub you can review your usage for any signs of major drops of usage during any one of these hours. If you see drops, you might be able to narrow down big energy users in a given circuit or room.