Helping you find ways to use less energy, save money and be more comfortable in your home.
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Helping you find ways to use less energy, save money and be more comfortable in your home.
Understanding Power Use
In order to become more energy efficient, you need to understand the basics of how your home uses electricity
and how you pay for it.
Electric use is measured in either watts (w) or kilowatts (kW) but you are billed for electricity by the kilowatt
hour (kWh). How does that work? Take a 100 - watt light bulb. It uses 100 watts for every hour it is on. If it burns
for 10 hours, that’s 1,000 watts, which is 1,000 watt-hours or 1 kilowatt hour.
= 1000 Watt Hours
or 1 Kilowatt Hour
100 Watts
Your space heater may be rated at 1500 watts. Every hour it runs equals 1.5 kWh. If the heater runs half of every
day (12 hours), seven days a week, in a month it would use 540 kWh. If your electric company charges 10 cents a
kWh for electricity, you would pay $54.00 just to heat your home with one space heater. Now think about how
many things you have that use electricity. Your refrigerator, TVs, computers, lights, hair dryers, washer and dryer,
video games, cable boxes, cell phone chargers all use power and it can add up.
What it Costs
Here’s a chart that shows the cost to run some typical household appliances.
Appliance Cost per Hour* Cost per Day* Cost per Month*
Water Heater
4500 watt element $.45 $1.57 $48.00
(Average 3.5 hours of use a day)
Dryer
5400 watts $.54 $1.08 $32.40
(Assumes 2 loads a day)
Refrigerator $.01–.02 $.40–.50 $12.00–15.00
Freezer $.02–.03 $.50–.60 $15.00–16.00
Electric Space Heater
1500 watts
$.15 $1.80 $54.00
(Assumes 12 hour a day use)
Oven
(Assumes 2 hours of cook time/day)
$.75 $1.50 $45.00
* Based on 10 cents a kilowatt hour charge for electricity. These usages are estimates only. Energy use varies due to extreme temperatures, age of appliance
and many other factors.
You can calculate what it costs to run most electric appliances in your home. Just find the wattage (it is usually
listed on the appliance or with the owner’s manual) then divide that by 1,000 to get the kilowatts (kW) used.
Multiply the kilowatts by how many hours you use the appliance during a month and then multiply that number
by your electric rate.
If you don’t want to do the math, you can visit www.4county.org and go to our residential energy savings page.
There you will find several tools including energy calculators that use our actual costs and will show you what it
costs to run things like your lights, your heating and air, space heaters, tv sets and other appliances. You can also
sign up for an online account and get access to your home’s energy use information. Find out how much power
you use, plus sign up for alerts and more.
Power Use in Your Home
Here’s a breakdown of the annual energy bill for a typical single family home
Top Five Energy Users
in U.S. Homes Other uses 43.2%
Estimated residential electricity
consumption by end use, 2014*
Other uses include TV, Space Heating
set-top boxes, home
16.3%
entertainment and
gaming systems, monitors Space Cooling 15.8%
and networking equipment,
clothes dryer, small
electrical devices, heating Lighting 5.2%
elements and motors.
Water Heating 12.1%
Refrigeration 7.4%
As you can see, heating and cooling, water heating, refrigeration and lighting
account for half or more of the average home’s energy use.
What Affects Your Energy Use?
Two houses side by side might look the same. They might have even been built at the same time and be the same
size, but their electric bills will be different. Why? One of the homes might have six people living there, the other only
two. The appliances in one might be newer and more energy efficient. One family might keep their thermostat lower.
Everyone’s situation is different.
In order to become more energy efficient you need to understand your situation and find the power reducing
solutions that will work for you. Here are some things to consider as you begin to find out where you’ll be starting with
your energy efficient efforts
Lifestyle
Do you own your own home?
Renters can’t make many energy efficiency changes on their own, but they can ask their landlord to do it.
Homeowners find it easier to implement energy efficiency improvements and can usually qualify
for programs from their local electric company as well as federal tax incentives for improvements.
How many people live in your home?
The more people, the more power used-more lights are on, more hot water is used, more laundry
gets done and it adds up. If someone is home all day, that can add to your bill as well.
How old is your home?
Older homes are less energy efficient. Insufficient insulation, older and inefficient appliances
and outdated weatherization can all add to your energy use.
What kind of home do you live in?
Apartments tend to have lower utility bills overall while mobile homes can
have much higher bills than conventional houses or apartments.
What kind of extras do you have?
Homes with swimming pools, tanning beds, well pumps or shops with
welders or other heavy power-using equipment can see higher bills.
Energy Action Checklist Easy Energy-Saving Habits Adjust your thermostat to 78˚ in summer and 68˚ in winter. Turn down your water heater temperature to 120˚ Unplug electronics and chargers when not in use Switch to cold water when doing laundry Only run the clothes washer and dishwasher when full Change air filters regularly to increase the efficiency of your unit Do-It-Yourself Low-Cost Improvements Seal air leaks around windows and doors with caulk Use foam insulation to seal plumbing and electrical openings/leaks Reduce air loss by weatherstripping exterior doors Additional Recommendations Complete an easy Home Energy Check-Up on your home at www.4county.org/energy–advisor/ Get a professional home energy audit customized for your home at www.energyright.com/residential/services/home–energy–evaluation/ or call us at 1-800-431-1544
Air Sealing
Caulking
Hidden air leaks can cost you money in a number of
ways, Sealing air leaks around your windows and
baseboards using caulk is a quick fix that can make
your home more comfortable and save you money
on your energy bill.
Follow these three easy steps
STEP ONE STEP TWO STEP THREE
Clean the area Apply Caulk Smooth and
Remove any remaining old Cut the end of the tube of remove excess
caulk and paint, using a putty caulk at an angle to allow easiest Using your finger or caulk tool,
knife or a large screwdriver. flow for the application. Run a smooth and remove excess caulk
Make sure the area is dry so bead of caulk around the window between the two surfaces. A wet
you don’t seal in moisture. or baseboard, making sure it’s cloth works best to remove excess
completely filled. caulk (only use this method with
paintable caulk).
Caulking Tips: If the caulk shrinks, reapply it to form a smooth bead that will seal the crack completely.
Use paintable caulk that is water soluble. Silicone caulk cannot be painted.
HVAC System
Maintenance
Get better control of your energy bill by conducting
regular HVAC maintenance, ensuring optimal
efficiency and comfort, while avoiding a system
failure in severe weather when you need it most.
Follow these five easy steps
STEP ONE STEP TWO STEP THREE
Check air filters monthly Get a professional Have your ductwork
ENERGY STAR® recommends tune-up inspected & repair
changing your air filters every Your heating and cooling any leaks
three months at minimum. system should get a tune-up If your ductwork runs through non-
Remember the arrow on the filter annually to keep it running as conditioned space, make sure it is
should point IN toward the wall. efficiently as possible. sealed properly and insulated so that
you do not lose any of the air you are
STEP FOUR STEP FIVE paying to heat or cool.
Keep your outside Watch the thermostat
condenser unit clean Setting your thermostat one or
Keep your unit and fan clear two degress higher in the summer
of grass, vegetation, debris or or a few degress lower in the winter
weeds. Also consider shading can save wear and tear on your
your condenser unit. You will save system and make a big difference
energy if your unit is processing in energy usage.
cooler air.
Air Sealing
Spray Foam
Spray foam can reduce the amount of air that leaks in and
out of your home. Cut heating and cooling costs, increase
comfort, and create a healthier indoor environment by
using spray foam at gaps in your home’s walls.
Follow these four easy steps
STEP ONE STEP TWO STEP THREE STEP FOUR
Prepare the can Perform a test Fill the hole Trim the excess
Follow the directions The spray foam expands Point the nozzle tip into Allow foam to dry before
on the back of the spray quickly, so test the spray the hole and begin to trimming excess or
foam can to prepare foam on a different area spray. Fill until the hole is spraying another layer
correctly. to make sure you are no longer a source of of foam.
comfortable using and leaking air. Be sure to use
applying the product. spray foam only in well-
ventilated areas.
Spray Foam Tips: The foam dries quickly, so it is recommended to use all of the can’s contents within
a few hours; also use safety glasses and avoid getting the foam on exposed skin or clothes.
Weatherstripping
Windows and doors can be significant place for air leakage.
You can keep your existing doors and windows working
efficiently by installing weatherstripping to keep outside
air where it belongs – outside.
Follow these four easy steps
STEP ONE STEP TWO STEP THREE STEP FOUR
Remove old Cut a piece of Apply weather- Secure weather-
weatherstripping weatherstripping stripping stripping
Before installing, remove Cut a piece of Peel about 4 inches of the Press firmly on the
old weatherstripping weatherstripping with paper off the adhesive weatherstripping from
and tighten door a pair of scissors to the back, press the end firmly top to bottom to make
hardware. length needed. Make sure to the door or window and sure it is securely fastned
Weatherstripping is the door is clean and dry continue to peel and apply to the door or window and
most commonly used before applying. the weatherstripping until will not peel off.
on the inside of the door the length of the door or
and window frames. window is lined. The
weatherstripping should
be applied where the
door comes in contact
with the frame.
Weatherstripping Tips: Make sure you purchase the proper thickness of weatherstripping.
Reading your meter One of the best ways to track your power use is to read your meter every month. That way you can see exactly how many kilowatt hours you are using. Pick a day to read your meter, then read it on the same day every month. Track your usage to help determine how much power you are using. Digital Meter You read your digital meter just like the odometer on your car. Just write down the numbers it shows. Your meter may rotate be-tween more than one set of numbers. If so, you want to look for the numbers that are increasing. That number will be your electrical usage. Now that you’ve read your meter, it’s time to do the math. Subtract your last reading from the newest reading and that show you the amount of kWh you used. 46372 New reading -45109 Old reading You can also create an online account at www.4county.org and track your 1263 Amount of kWh you have used usage there. Or use the 4-County app for your mobile device. Use this chart to keep track of your meter readings Date Meter Reading kWh used You can also help avoid high bills with usage alerts from 4-County. Get notified daily on how much power you use and how much it cost, or set up a high use alert that can let you know that you are using a large amount of power. It is an easy and free way to keep track of your use and gives you the chance to keep your bill down. With an online account, you can set up your own alerts, or call us at 1-800-431-1544 to set up an alert today.
Get Connected
4-County has made it easier than ever to keep up with your electric use, make payments, learn
energy efficiency, report outages and more.
www.4county.org 1-800-431-1544
Check out our
New Mobile Site!
Access your account,
and pay your bill,
report outages,
connect with us
and more!
Report outages by text and get updates
on restoration with our text power program
See how changes in weather –
especially extreme high and
low temperatures can affect your
power use and your bill. Set up
your free online account today.
Take control of your electric bill by
paying what you want, when you want.
Prepay
• No more security deposit
• No more monthly bill
Whether you’re a new 4-County member or you already
have an account, Prepay lets you take control of your
electric bill by paying what you want, when you want.Lighting is a quick and inexpensive way to
cut your energy costs. But what should you
look for when buying LED or CFL bulbs?
Lighting Labels and Lingo
These days, consumers have endless options when it comes
to purchasing light bulbs, but the labels can be confusing!
Use the information below as a helpful guide for browsing bulbs.
Read the Label
Under the Energy Labeling Rule, all light bulb manufacturers
are required to give consumers key easy-to understand
information on bulb efficiency. Take advantage of the Lighting
Facts label, which gives you the information you need to buy
the most energy-efficient bulb to meet your lighting needs.
The label includes information on the bulb’s brightness,
energy cost, life, light appearance and energy used (wattage).
Save Energy
Bulbs are available in many shapes and sizes to fit your
home’s needs. Choosing more efficient bulbs can help reduce
energy consumption and save you money!
• LEDs use 25%–30% of the energy and last eight to 25
times longer than halogen incandescent bulbs.
• Purchase ENERGY STAR-rated bulbs to maximize
energy efficiency.
Buy Lumens, not Watts
Lumens measure the amont of light
produced by the bulb. Watts measure
the energy consumption.
Tip: To replace a 100-watt incandescent bulb, look
for a bulb that produces about 1,600 lumens.
Incandescent 100 watt LED 14 – 20 watt
1,600 lumens 1,600 lumens
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