Managing energy costs

SPOKANE, Wash. – Dec. 3, 2018: With the arrival of the sustained colder temperatures, heating systems are operating more frequently and for longer periods of time, which can increase monthly energy costs. Heating can make up to 60 percent of a home’s monthly winter energy costs. Avista suggests checking your home’s air flow and making sure to use supplemental heating sources efficiently to help manage your winter energy bill.

Making sure door sweeps are in good condition and caulking around windows and doors will help prevent cold air from seeping in under doors. As a temporary measure, roll a towel and place at the base of exterior doors. Other no-cost recommendations include:

• Setting your heating thermostat at 68 degrees when you are home and reduce it a few degrees at night and when you are away.

• Restricting the use of your wood fireplace in extremely cold weather. Fireplaces can rob your home of heat provided by your heating system and reduce your comfort.

• Using space heaters only in small, occupied areas for short periods of time and not using them as a main source of heating. They can be more costly to operate than other heat sources.

• Practicing zone heating with baseboard heat by turning down the heat in unused rooms and closing the door.

• Turning off kitchen, bath and other ventilating fans when you are done. In one hour, these fans can pull a house full of warm air right out of the home.

• Adding a sweater and an extra blanket to stay warm rather than adjusting the thermostat.

If you are planning to travel over the holidays, make sure your home is not wasting energy while you are away by turning down the thermostat on your heating system and water heater and by shutting off lights except for security.

Customers can learn more energy saving advice and how winter impacts their bill online at myavista.com/winterbill.

Avista Utilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy, providing energy services and electricity to 383,000 customers and natural gas to 348,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.6 million. Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp. For more information, visit http://www.myavista.com.