There are a lot circumstances that can affect energy usage. Extremely cold temperatures lead to increased usage and higher electric bills. At CVEC, we want to help you understand how the cold impacts your energy consumption, as well as learn ways to help offset the higher usage. Take these conditions into consideration for what you can protect against or even prevent.
Why: When the temperature outside drops, your heating unit requires more electricity to maintain the temperature inside your home. Even if your thermostat is set to 68 degrees and you do not make any adjustments, your heat pump must work harder to maintain that temperature inside your home.
Conditions Beyond Your Control
- Weather extremes
- Daylight savings time
- Number of days between meter readings
- Guests and entertaining
- Repairs and renovations
- Average age and size of family
- Vacations
- Loss of shade-casting trees
- When temperatures drop below 32 degrees, heat pumps run in emergency/auxiliary mode.
Conditions You Can Control
- New and larger appliances installed (Always choose ENERGY STAR qualified!)
- Use of older or defective appliances
- Frost on refrigerator unit or shortage of refrigerant
- Loose duct work in crawl spaces or attics
- Running heat in the emergency heat setting
- Lack of weather stripping or insulation
- Excessive house heating or cooling
- Lack of maintenance – annual heat pump maintenance
- Clogged air filters in furnace – remember to change filters monthly
- Missing underpinning on mobile homes
- Using space heaters as a source of heat
- Leak in hot water faucet
- Excessive use of hot water
- Moved to a larger home or apartment
- Insufficient insulation window treatments