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Cooling Seasonal Temperatures Can Mean Uptick in Seasonal Energy Use

Media Contact:

Wayne Scarbrough

(423) 745-4501 ext. 6002

wscarbrough@aub.org

 

October 18, 2018

 

 

ATHENS, Tenn. – After an early October that, for many, felt more like July, cooler seasonal weather is headed our way this weekend with overnight temperatures in the mid to low 30s and daytime temperatures only reaching the 50s.

 

“Finally, it feels like an East Tennessee fall.  Time for hot chocolate and home fires and raking leaves in jeans and a sweatshirt instead of shorts and a tank top,” said AUB’s Wayne Scarbrough.

 

While the cool weather is a break from summer’s heat, it also means you will use more energy to heat a home or business.

 

“That’s the case whether that heat-energy source is natural gas, electric power, or hardwood for that matter.  The colder it is outside, the more energy you’ll burn to stay warm inside,” Scarbrough said.

 

Now is a good time to have a licensed HVAC professional tune up your unit and check your duct system for air leaks to ensure top efficiency, Scarbrough said.

 

“That’s when you get the most out of every energy penny spent,” he said.

 

“Check your thermostat to be sure that it is not set too high.  A high set point can keep a system cranking all night long with outside temperatures in the mid-thirties, and that may result in bill shock down the road,” Scarbrough said.

 

As an alternative, he suggested wearing warmer clothing in the evenings while inside, keeping a blanket on the couch for TV time, and adding blankets to your bed.

 

“All of that is personal choice, of course.  Choices bring with them results in one form or another.  If I choose to wear shorts and a thin t-shirt, have only summertime sheets on the bed, and set my system on 76 degrees when it’s 35 outside, that’s a choice to pay a little more for that lifestyle,” he said.

 

Other energy saving tips as cooler weather moves into our area include:

 

  • Seal all air leaks/openings around your home with caulk, weather-stripping or foam
  • Add insulation to your attic
  • Keep outside doors/windows closed
  • Take advantage of daytime solar gain by opening curtains on your home’s sunny side
  • Install LED lighting in place of old incandescent fixtures
  • Add an insulating blanket to your water heater, and keep it set at 120-degrees (the factory default setting is often 140)

 

The upcoming weekend weather may be more of a cool spell than a deep freeze.  Still, Scarbrough said it is never too early in the heating season to plan your energy use and to prepare for colder weather ahead.

 

“First, be safe.  This is the type weekend when we pull out portable heaters or build a nice, roaring fire to knock off the chill.  Keep those heaters away from curtains and furniture, and monitor a home fire closely,” he said.

 

Every winter, he said, AUB responds to calls from 911 to disconnect power and gas at a home that is ablaze, too often the result of a poorly placed portable heater or an unattended hearth and hot coals.

 

“In addition to having your HVAC system checked and tuned, consider having a professional check your fireplace, flue and chimney for any dangerous creosote buildup so that a cozy fire doesn’t become a chimney fire,” Scarbrough suggested.

 

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