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District of Chetwynd

PowerSmart -Energy Saving Tips

Windows and Heating Systems

At 50% of your energy bill, heating is the single largest use of energy in most homes. You can take measures to improve your heating and control systems, and reduce heat loss so less heating is required.

Windows

Up to one third of the heat in your home can escape through your windows. Put storm windows or plastic sheeting on single-glazed windows to reduce heat loss.
Consider installing energy-efficient windows. These windows undergo extensive testing to ensure they reduce heat loss and are higher quality than standard code windows.
For maximum energy savings, install windows with low-e coating or argon fill.

Heating system

A dirty furnace filter delivers less air. Ensure yours is clean.
Avoid heating uninsulated spaces such as a garage, crawlspace, attic or storage shed.
Close the fireplace chimney damper between fires to keep warm air in during the winter and out during the summer.
Avoid heating unused rooms by closing doors and warm air supply registers, or lower the room thermostat for baseboards.

Insulating & Draftproofing

About half of every energy dollar you spend goes to heating your home. Insulation and draftproofing can make your home more comfortable and quiet, while saving energy and reducing heating costs.

Insulation may come in batts or loosefill, which can be blown into place. Draftproofing can reduce your home's heat loss by about 5-10%, and can be the Power Smart investment with the fastest payback.

Tips to prevent energy loss

Use insulated exterior doors, not hollow ones.
If your exterior entrance door is drafty, you can caulk between the doorframe and the wall. To stop drafts under the door, install a door sweep on the bottom edge.
Use an incense stick to find leaks, or run your hand over window sills, doors and walls to feel for cold drafts.
Use weatherstripping to seal around door openings and windows.
Use caulking to seal gaps and holes around non-opening windows, electrical outlets and openings around water pipes and vents.
Insulate floors, walls, crawlspaces, basements and attics.
Use a dehumidistat to maintain the right humidity level for health and comfort. It senses the humidity level to run the ventilating fan whenever it's needed.

Ventilation

The average family produces 10 to 50 litres of moisture a day from cooking, bathing, washing dishes and other activities. Odours and pollutants are also constantly being released in the house.

A good ventilation system is needed to maintain proper moisture levels and air quality, especially if you have tightened the house with draftproofing. Draftproofing can result in higher humidity levels and excess humidity needs to be removed. A mechanical ventilation system is preferred over opening windows as it gives much more control, avoids overventilating, and is cleaner, quieter and more secure than having windows open. A dehumidistat, which controls the ventilating fan, is an important part of the system and helps to prevent the buildup of moisture that can lead to mould and allergies.

Thermostats

Obviously, the lower the temperature is set for heating and the higher for cooling, the more energy is saved and energy costs reduced. Controlling the thermostat is one of the easiest and most economical ways to control your energy costs.

Recommended Settings for Heating

These are the suggested thermostat settings that provide comfort and avoid overheating. Thermostats in rarely-used rooms can be set lower than those in major living areas.

Sitting reading or watching TV 21� C (70� F)
Working around the house 20� C (68� F)
Sleeping 16� C (61� F)
No one is home 16� C (61� F)*

* This setting ensures that the plumbing won't freeze and provides you with considerable savings.

Setting the thermostat back from 21� C to 16� C at night can result in energy savings of up to ten per cent, depending on where you live.

Remember, cranking your thermostat up to 30� C, for example, will not heat your house any faster. Your heating system will work most efficiently if you set the temperature where you want it for long periods of time (8 hours).

Thermostat Maintenance

Thermostats should be checked, cleaned (i.e. blow out any dust) and calibrated periodically. A good rule of thumb is to have your service contractor check the thermostat when performing annual maintenance on the system.

Programmable Thermostat

To make control of the thermostat easier, a setback or programmable thermostat is recommended. The programmable thermostat allows you to program the temperature of the house for different times or days and then leave the thermostat alone for the rest of the heating season. These thermostats allow you to set the temperature down during the day or overnight, but increase the temperature prior to your arrival or when you awake. This allows you to enjoy the comfort of your home and the increased energy savings.

Programmable thermostats now come in many varieties. They can allow for either one or two adjustments a day or multiple changes over a week. To decide the best thermostat for your needs, determine what temperature setbacks you want for your home and look for the simplest thermostat that will meet your individual needs.

If you have a cooling system, choose a programmable thermostat that will control both heating and cooling.

If you have a heat pump system, you should review the manufacturer's specifications before considering a programmable thermostat. An improperly used or mismatched setback thermostat can actually increase heat pump operating costs. Most manufacturers now offer programmable thermostats specifically designed for heat pumps.

Live In an Apartment?

Apartments are more sheltered due to common walls, so if you live in an apartment you could set the thermostat as low as 10� C (50� F) if you go away, as long as there are no water pipes in exterior walls that could be subject to freezing.
Gas firelog or decorative fireplaces are not as efficient as your main heating system. If you don't use yours often, consider shutting off the pilot light, as it is costing you money to leave it on.

Low Flow Shower Heads

The hot water that many of us take for granted can account for a substantial portion of your total energy costs, as much as 25% depending on use. In many cases, showers can be the largest single contributor to overall hot water use. Even a modest 10-minute shower can use up to 190 litres (42 gallons) of hot water with a conventional showerhead. A low-flow showerhead can reduce this by half or even more, without sacrificing the "feel" of the shower. There are a wide variety of low-flow showerheads available, including hand-held and designer models.

How it Works

By restricting the flow and forcing the water through very small apertures, these showerheads aerate and increase the velocity of the water, creating a very fine but "wet" feeling spray pattern. While a conventional showerhead uses 15 -19 litres (3-4 gallons) or more per minute, the low-flow type uses approximately 8 - 9 litres (about 2) gallons per minute, with some models using even less. Many are equipped with a push-button shutoff valve which allows the user to interrupt the flow of water while soaping up, saving even more.

Replacing a conventional showerhead with a low-flow model is usually a very quick and simple job. With a variety of adapters readily available, they can be fitted to most standard shower arms, including the swivel type.

Example of Savings

A family of 3 may take almost 1,000 showers per year! With conventional showerheads using 19 litres (4 gallons) of water per minute, and assuming 10 minutes per shower, the annual hot water usage would be 190,200 litres (about 42,000 gallons). If the conventional showerheads were replaced with low-flow models rated at 9 litres (2 gallons) per minute, the hot water use would be cut in half, saving 95,000 litres (21,000 gallons) annually. If this water is electrically heated, the annual cost savings would be approximately $175*. If the water is heated by natural gas the cost savings would be approximately $190**. Besides saving energy and money, the water savings are significant, conserving another valuable resource.

Payback

Based on the typical costs listed below, the payback for installing low-flow showerheads is almost immediate, depending on the frequency of showers.

Typical Cost

Standard Type: $15 and up

Designer and handheld massage type: $30 and up

*Assuming a typical electric water heater, with a 33� C (60� F) rise and a fuel cost of $.06/kWh

**Assuming a typical gas water heater, with a 33� C (60� F) rise and a fuel cost of $11.36/GJ

BC Hydro

Refrigerator Buy Back Program

The Refrigerator Buy Back Program gives BC Hydro customers the chance to get $30 back when they give us their second, operating fridge. The fridge must be in working condition and be between 10 to 24 cubic feet (maximum 2 per customer account). Using environmentally sound methods, we'll safely recycle the ozone-depleting refrigerant and all the metal. To arrange for the free pick up of your second working fridge, call 1-866 516-4357. (9am to 5pm Monday to Friday) For more information about BC Hydro's Power Smart Programs click here: www.bchydro.com

PowerSmart Tips

Replace incandesent and halogen lamps with compact fluorescent lamps.
Compact fluorescent lamps us one forth as much energy and last ten times longer.