The average Madison home spends $816 per year on natural gas but $1,236 per year on electricity. So how come Piping Plover is the only energy analyst in town that looks at your electricity use when there is so much more spent on it? I don’t have an answer but I’ve outlined the five major ways to save money on your electricity use.
1. Don’t run your furnace fan and dehumidifier 24/7
Several of our customers leave these items on all the time because they’ve been told by HVAC contractors that they’ll help with the home’s comfort and air quality. While that’s true, an older furnace fan will use approximately 550 watts which will cost about $675 per year if left on. A dehumidifier left on will cost $300-400 per year.
So… what are your options? If you have an older furnace with only one blower setting, you can purchase a programmable thermostat that runs the fan intermittently. Better yet, leave it on “auto” and see if you notice a difference in comfort. Lastly, a new furnace can include a variable speed motor which can reduce the electricity usage of the blower from 550 watts to 50 watts in recirculation mode.
An ENERGYSTAR dehumidifier will include a setting that automatically turns itself off once it reaches a certain relative humidity. The ideal indoor humidity level is 40-60% but mold will only grow at 70% or above. So if you have an unfinished basement you should keep the dehumidifier set at 60% so that it runs less often. If you don’t have an ENERGYSTAR qualified model then go get one! (continue reading…)