Gas workers offer advice on winterizing your home
Gas and energy bills typically rise in January, when furnaces and other heating devices work harder to heat a house against the cold winter weather, but there are ways to keep the winter heating bill down while it’s cold out.
Nick Paradise, external communications manager for Peoples, said the company often includes winterization tips in the mailers it sends out in the winter months, which include advice on how to keep the gas bill down.
The top tips are usually keeping the thermostat at a cooler but still comfortable temperature, making sure doors and windows are sealed at their closures and replacing the furnace filter at appropriate intervals.
According to Paradise, these tips can make a meaningful difference in the gas bill for the colder months.
“Turning the thermostat down can be a big difference maker. If you bundle up physically or turn it down when you're out of the house, it can make a difference,” Paradise said. “Filling cracks, sealing drafty windows, around doors (and) anywhere where heat can escape where it's not intended to. It can keep cold air out and warm air in.”
In addition to tips offered by Peoples through mail and online sources, Paradise said the company also has consultants who can inspect homes after projects and who can give further advice on getting the home ready for winter.
Jim Palermo, an energy consultant with Peoples, said some of the first things he looks for in a home are gaps between the doors and windows, which a lot of heat can escape.
“Windows probably count for 10 to 25% of energy costs,” Palermo said. “A lot of these older homes have single pane, so what I recommend is a window covering. You put plastic up and shrink wrap it. That does cut down on drafts in the home.”
And even though he is mindful of gaps between doors and windows, Palermo said they can also contribute to the heat in a home. “If it's sunny out, and there is sun coming through the window, we recommend keeping them open and letting the sun heat up the room,” he said.
Palermo said he is often consulted on homes that recently had a new furnace or insulation installed. He said in addition to keeping a thermostat at a lower but comfortable temperature, it’s important for people to maintain a clean filter for those furnaces, because a dirty filter could prevent warm air from flowing through as easily.
But just keeping the thermostat down is a method he continually emphasized. The effects of keeping the temperature down, even just for a few hours, can chip away at the high gas bills in the winter, Palermo said.
“If you turn your thermostat down one degree over eight hours, that's going to save you 1% on your energy bill,” Palermo said. “If you leave the home for more than four hours, we recommend turning it down three or four degrees. Because the reheating is not going to use as much energy as you would if you just kept it on.”
Palermo and Paradise also each said using cold water instead of hot water for cleaning, or for laundry purposes, can keep a gas bill lower.
Paradise added that Peoples has budget billing options that let customers spread their bill payments out over a longer period of time, so their bills don’t skyrocket in the winter. Additionally, Peoples has bill payment assistance programs, which Paradise said some people don’t even realize they can qualify for.
“We have 1-800-400-WARM, (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) — they’re both finite pools of money.
“If you think it might be something you need, if you think you might be eligible, reach out to apply,” Paradise said, encouraging people to call 1-800-400-WARM.
“We really encourage people to take advantage of the resources, whether it be winterization or reaching out if you're in a position of need. Every year, the amount of people that are eligible don’t all apply,” Paradise said.
For more information on Peoples’ winterization programs and financial aid options, visit its website at peoples-gas.com/assistance.
Keep the heat inside your home with this advice from Peoples
If a playing card fits the crevice of an outside door or window, you need more weather stripping. Caulk and weather-strip to stop air leaks around windows, doors, exhaust fans and any other place where wires or pipes pass through walls. Replace any caulk that has cracks or is no longer soft.
Keep out winter air by covering your window air conditioners tightly on the inside with thick plastic or special air conditioner covers. Weather-strip around the units to block drafts.
Cover bare ground beneath your home with a vapor barrier to keep moisture from getting into your home. Polyethylene sheets work well. Since one-third of your air conditioner's energy is spent removing moisture, vapor barriers can make a noticeable dent in your energy bills.
If you have a crawlspace, open your foundation vents each spring and close them each fall.
Plant deciduous trees like oak, maple, gum, ash and dogwood. They lose their leaves in the winter, letting the sun through to warm your home. In summer, their leaves shade your home. Plant shade trees to the south, since that side gets the most sun.
Evergreens are effective for blocking wind. Plant them in a staggered or double line to the northwest of your home.
Smaller foundation plants can minimize the loss of cool air away from the house in summer and, in winter, provide additional wind protection.
