BOURNE'S ENERGY

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Reduce your Home Energy Bills with Energy Efficiency

Efficiency Vermont Offers Tips on How to Save Energy and Stay Warm through Winter

October 2006; Burlington, VT. With energy prices on the rise and poised to have an impact on the cost of heating fuel this winter, Efficiency Vermont is offering tips on how Vermonters can lower their energy bills by increasing energy efficiency in the home.

With energy costs going up, it's a great time for Vermonters to improve the energy efficiency of their homes, said Blair Hamilton, director of Efficiency Vermont. A comprehensive package of cost-effective improvements can lower energy costs by 20-30% for a typical home, and there are a number of simple energy saving measures that homeowners and tenants can do on their own.

No- and Low-Cost Steps to Increase Your Home's Energy Efficiency

1. Change your furnace filter regularly. Spending a little on a new filter will go a long way toward maintaining the efficiency of your furnace.

2. Keep the area near registers, radiators, air-returns and baseboards clear. Vacuum or dust radiators and baseboards often and be sure they're not blocked by furniture and carpets. Heat needs to circulate to reach all areas of the house, especially with a forced-air system.

3. Lower your thermostat. By lowering the thermostat when nobody is home or when you're sleeping, you can cut your winter energy bills significantly. For each degree you turn the thermostat down in the winter (around the clock), you save roughly three percent on your bill. Programmable thermostats can also offer up to 15 percent savings over the heating season if you set the thermostat 10 degrees lower while you're sleeping or out of the house.

4. Check for drafts and seal them up. If your house feels dry during the heating season, it's probably because it's drafty. Try using an airflow indicator such as an incense stick to test for drafts. If the smoke is drawn toward, or forced away from, such areas as an attic hatch, chimney chase, knee wall hatch/access, you've got a draft to seal. Larger holes can be sealed with expanding foam, which comes in a spray can. If your water pipes freeze, it could be that a draft is cooling the pipes. Prevent this problem by insulating the pipes.

5. Think twice about space heaters. Even with higher gas and oil prices, electricity remains the most expensive way to heat the home. A thermostatically controlled 1.5kw electric space heater can increase energy costs by as much as $50 per month. The constant need for space heaters may actually signal a larger energy efficiency issue within the home, such as drafty windows and doors.

6. Seal up drafty windows and doors. Windows and doors can be sealed with caulk and weather stripping. Inspect old caulk and weather stripping and replace anything that is cracked or damaged. Loose windows may benefit from side-mounted sash locks to hold the sash close to the frame. Covering windows with heavy drapes will help reduce drafts and night time heat loss.

7. Close dampers when you're not using the fireplace. An open fire pulls warm air (air you've paid to heat) from the house, creating a draft near the fireplace. An open damper will pull heated air out of the house even when there is no fire. To prevent this situation, make sure the damper is closed when you're not using the fireplace, after the wood and ashes have gone cold. And, if possible, avoid or reduce the use of wood-burning fireplaces on the coldest days of the winter.

8. Don't forget about hot-water savings. Keep the tank temperature at 110 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, use low-flow shower heads, and save.

9. Let the sun in. Take advantage of the winter sun by opening the blinds, shades and curtains to help heat your home on sunny days. Close curtains at night to help keep the heat in.

Modest Investments that Increase Your Home's Energy Efficiency

1. Service your furnace and/or boiler. Oil-fired systems need annual maintenance. Gas systems and heat pumps typically need a checkup every two years.

2. Seal leaks in air ducts. As heating systems age, leaks can develop in the ducts. Many duct systems are leaky even when newly installed. When these leaks are in unheated areas of your home (attics, basements, garages, etc.), they can contribute tremendously to your energy bill. Examine duct work that is easily accessible. Feel for air leaks at joints and seal the ductwork. It's best to use long-lasting mastic sealant or foil-faced tapes designed for sealing rather than common duct tape. Replace deteriorated duct tape.

3. Prevent frozen water pipes in your mobile home. Insulating the pipes alone will not prevent freezing. Instead, create a sealed, insulated enclosure around the pipes that is connected to the heated living space. The better sealed and insulated the enclosure, the more successful you will be in keeping out the cold. If you find that you still need to supply heat to prevent the pipes from freezing, use a thermostatically controlled heat cable that is inserted into the water pipe, not a heat tape that wraps around it - and definitely not a light bulb!

4. Look for the ENERGY STAR label. It used to be that you had to do some homework to figure out which appliances were most energy-efficient. Now all you have to do is look for the ENERGY STAR label. You can find ENERGY STAR ratings on everything from furnaces/boilers to dehumidifiers, from appliances to electronics. One of the most cost-effective actions you can take is to replace incandescent light bulbs with ENERGY STAR compact florescent light bulbs (CFLs) in areas of your home where lights are on most often.

Long-term Investments that Increase Your Home's Energy Efficiency

1. Get a better understanding of your home's energy use. An expert in home energy efficiency can evaluate your home and show you specific ways to lower energy costs and to keep your home safer, more comfortable and durable. Contact Efficiency Vermont and ask about how you can find a Home Performance with ENERGY STAR certified contractor in your area.

2. Add storm windows to your home. Storm windows can be a very cost-effective way to reduce energy costs and stay warm if you currently have single-pane windows.

Do you have questions about energy use in your home? E-mail Efficiency Vermont at info@efficiencyvermont.com or call, toll-free: 1-888-921-5990 and a customer service representative will answer your question. For more information, visit http://efficiencyvermont.com/.

Efficiency Vermont was created by the Vermont Legislature and the Vermont Public Servce Board to help all Vermonters reduce energy costs, strengthen the economy and protect Vermont's environment. Efficiency Vermont is currently operated by Vermont Energy Investment Corporation (VEIC), an independent organization under contract to the Vermont Public Service Board. VEIC is a Vermont-based non-profit organization founded in 1986. For more information, contact Efficiency Vermont at 1-888-921-5990 or visit http://www.efficiencyvermont.com

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Bourne's believes that the following questions and answers are of great benefit to all customers who use home heating oil.

How are oil prices set?

Heating fuels like oil, natural gas, propane and electricity are traded on the commodities market, which goes up and down like the stock market. By far, the biggest influence on the cost of heating oil is the price of its raw material, crude oil.

What can cause rapid price changes?

The market responds immediately to any situation that might affect supply or demand, including unexpectedly cold or warm weather, supply interruptions and excess production. These changes are immediately reflected in the wholesale price dealers pay for the oil they deliver to you.

Do local dealers make more profit during sudden price increases?

No. When oil prices rise, it doesn't mean they get a bigger share of it. It's similar to when orange juice prices go up because of an early frost. The local grocery doesn't make the extra money.

So who does make the money?

Anyone ( including the major oil companies, refiners, speculators and others) who was either smart or lucky enough to have secured oil before prices started to rise. However, these same people would've lost money had prices dropped.

Do local dealers wait to deliver until prices are highest?

It's tempting to think that, especially if you've just gotten a high-priced delivery. But remember, your local dealer has no way to predict what will happen to wholesale prices from week to week. Until they can find a better crystal ball, dealers base their deliveries on customer needs and the most efficient truck routes.

How can companies in the same area charge very different prices?

Heating oil is a very competitive business. At any time, you may find people who are priced either higher or lower than your dealer. The difference often depends on :After wholesale prices drop, when do retail prices follow?

It depends on how much oil your local dealer bought and stored at a higher price, and how quickly it sells due to cold weather. It also depends on how much of the original wholesale increase the dealer absorbed to cushion customers when prices went up."

Comparing the Cost of Heating Fuels (VT Fuel Price Report, April, 2000)