Fall & Winter
Don’t be fooled by South Carolina’s mild winters. You still use your heating system about five months of the year. A few energy-conserving measures can make a real difference:
- Caulking and/or weather-stripping around all your doors, windows, exhaust vents, and other openings that allow cold air to leak into your house can save a lot in energy costs. And don’t worry about sealing your home up too tightly; for as many leaks as you can find, there will always be a few that you can’t find or fix.
- Check your exterior doors. If you can see light or can feel air coming in around them, you probably need to replace the thresholds and/or door sweeps.
- Seal around plumbing entrances under sinks and vanities and around bathtubs and showers.
- Place foam gaskets under the electrical outlet covers to cut down on air infiltration. You will be surprised at the amount of outside air that gets in, even through the inside walls of your home.
- Check for proper insulation in the attic and floors and good seals around doors, windows, and ductwork.
- Check and clean or replace climate-control system filters.
- Choose the lowest comfortable winter thermostat setting. For each degree you lower the thermostat, you can reduce the cost of heating your home by as much as 3 percent.
Electric Heat Pump
With South Carolina’s mild, seasonal climate, heating and cooling with an electric heat pump makes good sense. It provides superior comfort and lower operating costs; plus it’s safe, clean, and reliable — the most efficient kind of heating and cooling unit on the market today.
The electric heat pump’s operation and efficiency come from a principle known as heat transfer. Rather than creating heat, the electric heat pump uses existing heat and simply moves it to the desired location. The result is a constant, comfortable flow of air into the home.
The beauty of an electric heat pump is that in the summer, the process can be reversed by the touch of a switch on the home’s indoor thermostat, providing year-round comfort and possible savings.
FAQ
Energy Use FAQ
Yes, it can. You can save by using your current spotlights less, converting your current spotlights to 23 watt compact fluorescent spots, and by installing motion sensors so the lights only work when motion is detected.
Conserving energy is always a good idea. York Electric has a free 101 low-cost/no-cost home energy savings measures brochure. Visit one of our offices to pick up a copy or view and/or download here. Also, visit TogetherWeSave.com and take the home tour to learn what actions you can take to save on your energy bill.
The value of electricity remains very high. The national cost of electricity today, when adjusted for inflation, is less than what it was in 1980. Very few commodities have remained such a good value. Compared to other consumer products and services, electricity is a bargain.