Customer Newsletter, September 2008

Weatherize Your Home and Use Less Energy

One of the most cost-effective ways to improve energy efficiency is by properly sealing and insulating your home. According to ENERGY STAR®, a nationwide energy efficiency program sponsored jointly by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy, homeowners can realize a potential savings of up to 20 percent on heating and cooling costs (or up to 10 percent on their total annual energy bill) by improving the sealing and insulation of a home.

First, help make your house weather tight. Many air leaks and drafts in the home are easy to find because they are easy to feel - like those around windows and doors. Other leaks may take some hunting to find - like holes hidden in attics, basements and crawlspaces. Sealing any of these leaks with caulk, spray foam or weather stripping will have a great impact on improving your comfort and reducing utility bills.

After any home sealing project, have a heating and cooling technician check to make sure your combustion appliances (gas- or oil-fired furnace, water heater and clothes dryer) are venting properly.

Here's a good rule of thumb: Don't scrimp on the insulation! Insulation helps keep your home warm in winter and cold in summer. There are several common types of insulation - fiberglass (in both batt and blown forms), cellulose, rigid foam board and spray foam. When correctly installed with air sealing, each type of insulation can deliver comfort and lower energy bills during the hottest and coldest times of the year.

To get the biggest savings, the easiest place to add insulation is usually in the attic. A quick way to see if you need more insulation is to look across your uncovered attic floor. If your insulation is level with or below the attic floor joists, you likely need to add more insulation.

For more information on steps homeowners can take to improve the efficiency of their homes, contact your local public power utility or visit the ENERGY STAR® Home Advisor at http://www.energystar.gov/homeadvisor. Lots of useful energy efficiency information is also available at http://www.nppd.com.

Southern Power District wants you to get the most energy value for your money. It costs far less to save energy than it does to build a new power plant to generate additional power.

Visit our Energy Wise Page for an archive of tips!

Here are the stories you'll find inside this edition:
  • Grand Island Crew Trying Out Four Day Workweeks
    • Southern Power District recently assigned one four-man crew to a shorter work week. More>>>
  • SPD Announces New Heat Pump Incentive Program
    • Southern's Board of Directors approved changes to the Heat Pump Incentive Program at their August Board meeting, with the new program guidelines taking effect on September 1, 2008. More>>>
  • Labor Safely!
    • Late summer and early fall often finds many of us working outdoors before the weather turns cooler, but these outdoor chores require caution, especially around electricity. More>>> Energy Wise Tip: Bright Ideas Energy Camp Highlights Seventeen children attended Southern POwer District's 2008 session of Bright Ideas Energy Camp at Southern's offices in Grand Island. More>>>
  • Recipe Box: Chocolate Orange Freeze
    • Recipe>>>