SUBMITTED NEWS RELEASE
Stay warm and comfortable this winter while holding down heating costs. NV Energy’s Chad Piekarz, an energy efficiency expert, says the following tips represent simple, inexpensive ways to save:
- Set the furnace thermostat at 58 degrees during the day when you are away from home and at night. When you’re at home set the thermostat at 68 degrees. (Setting the thermostat one degree above 68 can add 2 percent to your monthly heating bill.)
- Have your furnace professionally serviced if it has been two years since its last check up. Adjustments by a technician can reduce your energy consumption.
- Change furnace filters monthly during the heating season so your furnace will work more efficiently.
- Avoid using electric space heaters if possible. It costs more to heat with electricity than with natural gas.
- Inspect insulation levels in your attic and on your duct system to make sure there’s enough. An R-38 insulation value is ideal in attic areas and duct systems should be insulated with at least R-6 insulation.
- Use ceiling fans to move hot air for the ceiling back to the floor. In most homes, a low clockwise rotation will pull cold air up and push hot air back down without creating a cool breeze.
- Don’t close heating vents in rooms because it will actually make your furnace work harder and won’t reduce heating costs.
For additional energy savings tips, visit nvenergy.com.
