Blue Ridge Electric Shares Heating, Energy Efficiency Tips for Your Home

For Immediate Release

Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Corporate Communications, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383 ext. 3213; Pager:1-800-471-1323; or E-mail: Renee Whitener

Lenoir, North Carolina (January 3, 2002) – With recent winter weather in our area, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation knows members are using more heat to keep warm. To be sure your home stays comfortable and energy efficient, here are a few tips from your local electric cooperative:

Just a few degrees in temperature levels make a difference in the amount of energy used. Try keeping your thermostat on 66 to 68 degrees during the day and 60 degrees at night.
To keep warm air inside, close your draperies or blinds at night and on overcast days when no sun is shining in.
When no one will be at your home, lower your thermostat setting. Contrary to belief, it doesn’t require more energy to bring your home back to the desired temperature than it does to keep it at a set level. Save energy by lowering the temperature when you’ll be away.
If a room isn’t used, don’t heat it unnecessarily. Close the door to the room and keep blinds or curtains drawn.
Let the sun help heat your home as much as possible: keep blinds and curtains up on sunny days and use your sunny rooms more. Trim or remove evergreen trees that are blocking sun from your home unless they are significantly helpful in helping your home stay cool in the summer.
Use storm windows and doors if your home has them to help keep warm air in. Be sure all windows and doors close properly.

There are many steps you can take before cold weather to be sure your home is energy efficient. These include:

Making sure insulation is adequate. Insulation uses R-values, which refers to the resistance of heat to transfer through insulation. The higher the “R” value, the more efficient the house will be.
Attics in the mountain region should be insulated at a level of R-38, floors should be insulated at R-19, and walls should be insulated at a minimum of R-11, with newly constructed homes requiring a R-19 insulation in cold climates.
Caulking around doors, windows, wiring and plumbing reduce heat loss and save energy.
Heating systems need to be checked or inspected by a qualified heating and air conditioning contractor at least once each year.
Filters in central furnaces, heat pumps, and air conditioners should be changed monthly.
Oil-fired systems should be tuned up and cleaned every year.
Gas fired systems should be checked every two years.
Regular tune-ups not only cute heating costs, but they also increase the life of the system and reduce breakdowns.
Make sure your duct system isn’t leaking. Check ducts that carry air to different areas of your home, and close any leaks at joints using duct tape.
Clear away obstructions that may be blocking the flow of heated or cooled air from registers or from individual heating units.
If you have a fireplace that isn’t in use, remember to close the flue damper to be sure warm air doesn’t escape through this route.
Finally, to feel more comfortable in cold weather, wear layers of clothes and shirts with closed collars or turtlenecks. Also, use more blankets or an electric blanket on your bed to help stay warm.