Cold temperatures cause heating bills to rise
Article published on Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Members need to be conscious of their energy use as the
temperatures drop to record lows.
A residential household's kilowatt-hour
use is largely weather-driven, Jay Kirby, a home energy auditor for
Santee Electric Cooperative, reminds members as winter temperatures
drop.
"Freezing temperatures make heating
systems work harder and operate longer," Kirby says. "Water flowing
into water heaters is colder and, therefore, requires added energy
to warm it up and then maintain that warmth."
A home with the thermostat set to 68 degrees will burn half the electricity the same size home uses with the thermostat set at 78 degrees, he said. And for every degree higher your thermostat is set, you're adding five percent or more in heating costs to your electric bill.
"Along with the cold weather, the extra
hours of darkness tend to keep families inside more, which presents
additional opportunities to use electricity. Ultimately, heating
and cooling represent about 50 percent of a typical home's energy
use," he adds.
We can't do anything about the
weather, Kirby notes, but members can take charge of their energy
use and lower their bills. You can find money-saving ideas in our
free brochure, "101 Low-Cost/No-Cost Home Energy-Saving Measures
for South Carolina." Stop by any Santee Electric office to pick up
a copy.
When decorating for the holidays, remember that outdoor "icicle" lights use more energy because they have more bulbs per linear foot than regular light strands. Consider using regular strands of energy-saving LED lights on simple indoor trees because they use less electricity and last up to 100,000 hours.
Santee Electric Cooperative gives area community action agencies money every three months to be distributed to members in need of assistance. Members should contact their local community action agency to apply for this assistance.
In Florence County, Pee Dee Community Action Agency can be reached at 843-394-7440.
In Clarendon County, Wateree Community Actions, Inc. can be reached at 803-432-3411.
In Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties, the Waccamaw Economic Opportunity Council, Inc. can be reached at 843-546-6161 or 843-355-9922.
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Cold temperatures cause heating bills to rise
Article published on Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Members need to be conscious of their energy use as the
temperatures drop to record lows.
A residential household's kilowatt-hour
use is largely weather-driven, Jay Kirby, a home energy auditor for
Santee Electric Cooperative, reminds members as winter temperatures
drop.
"Freezing temperatures make heating
systems work harder and operate longer," Kirby says. "Water flowing
into water heaters is colder and, therefore, requires added energy
to warm it up and then maintain that warmth."
A home with the thermostat set to 68 degrees will burn half the electricity the same size home uses with the thermostat set at 78 degrees, he said. And for every degree higher your thermostat is set, you're adding five percent or more in heating costs to your electric bill.
"Along with the cold weather, the extra
hours of darkness tend to keep families inside more, which presents
additional opportunities to use electricity. Ultimately, heating
and cooling represent about 50 percent of a typical home's energy
use," he adds.
We can't do anything about the
weather, Kirby notes, but members can take charge of their energy
use and lower their bills. You can find money-saving ideas in our
free brochure, "101 Low-Cost/No-Cost Home Energy-Saving Measures
for South Carolina." Stop by any Santee Electric office to pick up
a copy.
When decorating for the holidays, remember that outdoor "icicle" lights use more energy because they have more bulbs per linear foot than regular light strands. Consider using regular strands of energy-saving LED lights on simple indoor trees because they use less electricity and last up to 100,000 hours.
Santee Electric Cooperative gives area community action agencies money every three months to be distributed to members in need of assistance. Members should contact their local community action agency to apply for this assistance.
In Florence County, Pee Dee Community Action Agency can be reached at 843-394-7440.
In Clarendon County, Wateree Community Actions, Inc. can be reached at 803-432-3411.
In Georgetown and Williamsburg Counties, the Waccamaw Economic Opportunity Council, Inc. can be reached at 843-546-6161 or 843-355-9922.
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