RADFORD – With electric bills squeezing the budgets of many utility customers in Radford, the city has issued advice and efficiency tips.
“With persistent frigid temperatures this winter, the City of Radford advises electric customers to expect the possibility of higher electric bills, due to higher usage of electricity,” the city announced recently. “January 2022 was the coldest January in Radford in recent years. Blacksburg weather data show that the average high for January 2022 was 39.3 (degrees) and the average low was 18.2.
“Because of these colder temperatures, we anticipate customers who heat their homes and offices with electric heating systems will see an increase in their electrical usage during January; this will result in higher electric bills,” the announcement says.
“When outside temperatures get extremely cold, heating systems run longer to maintain warm temperatures inside our homes and offices. When the outside temperature is 50 degrees, heating systems might need to run only a few minutes each hour to maintain the inside temperature, but when the temperature drops to near zero and below, the system runs more often and longer to maintain the indoor thermostat setting.”
To improve energy efficiency in the home or office, the city offers the following tips:
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF HEAT FROM THE SUN
Open curtains on the south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
COVER DRAFTY WINDOWS
Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of window frames during the cold winter months. Make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration.
Install tight-fitting, insulating drapes or shades on windows that feel drafty after weatherizing.
ADJUST THE TEMPERATURE
Set the thermostat as low as is comfortable when residents are up and around.
FIND AND SEAL LEAKS
Seal the air leaks around utility cut-through for pipes (“plumbing penetrations”), gaps around chimneys and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.
Add caulk or weather stripping to seal air leaks around leaky doors and windows.
MAINTAIN THE HEATING SYSTEMS
Schedule service for the home’s heating system. Replace the furnace filter once a month or as needed.
For wood- and pellet-burning heaters, clean the flue vent regularly and clean the inside of the appliance with a wire brush periodically to ensure that the home is heated efficiently.
REDUCE HEAT LOSS FROM THE FIREPLACE
Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Keeping the damper open is like keeping a window wide open during the winter; it allows warm air to go right up the chimney.
When using the fireplace, reduce heat loss by opening dampers in the bottom of the firebox or opening the nearest window slightly – approximately 1 inch – and closing doors leading into the room. Lower the thermostat setting to between 50° and 55°F.
If the fireplace is never used, plug and seal the chimney flue or install tempered glass doors and a heat-air exchange system that blows warmed air back into the room.
Check the seal on the fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible.
Purchase grates made of C-shaped metal tubes to draw cool room air into the fireplace and circulate warm air back into the room.
Add caulking around the fireplace hearth.
Visit: http://energy.gov/energysaver/downloads/energy-savers-guide for more tips on energy efficiency.
