LIGHT READING INLAND POWER AND LIGHT inlandpower.com
O C TO B E R 2 0 1 8
Is Your Home Ready For Winter? Where did summer go? As it does every year, it came and went too quickly, but it is time to start thinking about winterizing your home and preparing for the cooler fall and winter temperatures. There are so many different tips and tricks to effectively prepare your home for the colder months. We sat down with your resident energy services expert, Todd Williams, and discussed his top 10 tips and tricks to save you and your family money during the winter season.
Where are trouble spots in my home where I waste energy? Todd: Like the Seahawks need to fill their holes to keep Russell
Wilson from getting sacked, you should plug air leaks to stop the cold air from stealing heat. The chimney. The attic hatch. Outlet covers. Doors and window seals. Start high and work your way down throughout your house. Ceiling recessed can lighting is actually a big air leaker in a home. Consider switching to air tight LED retrofit kits. They will save you energy and they are a more pleasant light to look at and are very effective in stopping the heat leakage through your ceiling.
What is the best way to add insulation? Todd: This can be a messy job. A big tip I tell people is that
professional insulation installers can generally install insulation at the same cost that a do-it-yourselfer can. They buy their materials at a less expensive price and they’ve hired full time installers that can work very quickly and very efficiently. However, it’s always good to get a couple of estimates.
My husband and I argue over the thermostat setting. Any ideas? Todd: While I am not in a position to give marital advice, people ask
you can install in your home that help with home insulation. They keep air from coming into direct contact with the cold glass and they can help save you energy in the long run.
me all the time what’s the best temperature to set your thermostat at and I tell them that it’s the temperature that allows you to remain functional and productive in your home. If you’re too cold and you can’t move, you’re going to stay under a blanket, that’s not good. The difference in cost is not going to be enough to offset having to wear a stocking cap 24/7. It’s better to turn the heat up a little bit. A happy wife is a happy life.
Is it better to turn down the thermostat at night? Todd: Yes! Honestly, setting your temperature down at night is one of
Any additional tips regarding my thermostat? Todd: You definitely save energy when you set your temperature
Do blinds make a difference? Todd: There are a number of different kinds of blinds and curtains
the things that many people misunderstand. People are afraid it’s going to cost them more energy to reheat the house in the morning. That is not at all true. Another benefit to setting your thermostat low at night is that people sleep better. I get a lot of positive feedback about people getting a good night’s rest after they reprogram their thermostat to run cooler at night. It is a win, win! A better night sleep and you save money while the furnace also gets a rest.
What about spaces or rooms that are not frequently used? Todd: You can close your heating vents in rooms not used, but I
would recommend asking your heating contractor when you have your furnace tuned up to help determine which vents you can close and which vents you shouldn’t. If you close off too many vents you can actually damage your furnace.
What is your opinion of heat pumps if you have electric heat? Todd: Much like a refrigerator moves heat from inside of the box
to outside of the box, a heat pump does the same thing. It moves heat from outside of the home to inside the home. It’s like a reverse running air conditioner. They’re very efficient because they’re moving heat from one place to the other rather than creating it and are using electricity to do that. We also now have more options for heat pumps and Inland offers generous rebates if you are interested.
down at night and while you are away for extended periods of time. You should also allow time for the system to recover when you plan to return. Smart thermostats have actually helped in this regard by allowing us to move the temperature back up before we get home.
Should I service my furnace annually? Todd: Absolutely. By servicing your furnace every year, it will run in
optimum condition. More importantly, it’s going to remain durable. The cost to replacing a furnace is thousands of dollars, but by servicing it annually, for approximately $100, you can extend the life of your furnace and keep it running at its peak efficiency.
How often should I replace my air filter? Todd: Replacing air filters for your furnace is the biggest thing you
can do to help keep your furnace working well. Make sure to pick a quality air filter. You can call or ask your heating professional what filter they recommend for your specific furnace type. However, keep in mind that air filters are not intended to purify the air in the home. Paying $30 or more for a purifying filter is generally not doing a homeowner any good. It’s just costing them money and even potentially damaging the furnace itself.
i n lan d p owe r is my coope rat ive
WE ARE A MEMBER-OWNED ENERGY COOPERATIVE COMMITTED TO SAFE, RELIABLE SERVICE AT COMPETITIVE RATES.
GIVE TO PROJECT SHARE
- i n l a n d p o w e r m i s s i o n stat e m e n t
GIVING TO PROJECT SHARE WARMS HANDS AND HEARTS During difficult times, it’s good to know that there are neighbors you can count on. Just a little bit goes a long way to helping those in need. On your Inland Power statement, please consider adding a donation amount for Project Share. Project Share will distribute donated money to the community support agencies throughout Inland’s service area. Project Share provides one-time energy assistance. It’s that safety net for when the unexpected happens - a job loss, sudden illness or an unplanned hardship. Please consider keeping your neighbor warm this winter when times are tough.
COMMUNITY SUPPORT AGENCIES FOR ENERGY ASSISTANCE • Adams County - Opportunities Industrialization Center (509) 765-9206 • Bonner County - Community Action Partnership (208) 255-2910 • Columbia and Garfield Counties - Blue Mountain Action Council (509) 529-4980 • Lincoln and Steven Counties - Rural Resources Community Action (509) 685-6000 • Spokane County - Spokane Neighborhood Action Program (SNAP) (509) 456-SNAP • Whitman County - Community Action Center (509) 344-9147
ACCESS THIS POWERFUL TOOL FOR MANAGING YOUR ENERGY USAGE Have you accessed your Inland Power SmartHub account? If not, you are missing out on a very powerful tool. SmartHub is a free online service that provides you with 24-hour access to your account. SmartHub allows members to have access to complete account information such as: • View billing & payment history • Enroll in paperless billing • Change your password or personal information on your account • Detailed electric usage information • Report an issue • Pay your bill and manage payment methods • Set up automatic payments • Customize notifications and alert reminders • Receive real-time outage updates and notifications SmartHub’s most powerful feature is your detailed electric usage information. SmartHub puts your energy usage into visual form with real-time information. Your digital meter reads itself every hour and sends the read to SmartHub for you to view. Each day, 24 reads populate a graph and the total is tracked by our software. This powerful information allows you to experiment with thermostat settings, switches, plugs and breakers to identify where your power is going and helps you find ways to reduce usage. To access your SmartHub account, simply go to inlandpower.com and click on “Register” in the top right-hand corner or download the app on your smart device. Once the app is open, type in “Inland Power” as the provider and follow the onscreen instructions to complete registration. The login information is the same for both the web and mobile app. Why not check out SmartHub today? We think you’ll be pleased with this convenient and timely way to view your Inland Power account information.
Taking an Active Approach to Bark Beetle Infestation and Tree Management As part of Inland’s ongoing commitment to safety and reliability, we annually perform danger tree mitigation. Each year we have a high number of trees that die within our service territory, primarily in the northern portion of our footprint. Over the last few years, the numbers of dead trees has increased due to drought like conditions and in 2018 we have seen a significant increase of dead trees caused by beetle infestation.
douglas fir bark beetles. Pine and fir trees are dying at an alarming rate and the trend looks like this will not change anytime soon.
Every year Inland Power has an active plan to manage our vegetation program. As of mid-August, Inland’s contract tree crews have removed 3,255 danger trees (dead trees and lodge pole pines) outside of Inland’s right-of-way.
To help combat this increased tree mortality, Inland has taken an active approach to removing these danger trees. In 2018, we budgeted $843,000 for right-of-way tree clearing and recently approved an increase of $142,500 to add an additional tree crew to combat danger trees due to drought and beetles. We anticipate that we will allocate approximately $1.2 million in 2019 to sustain our ongoing commitment to removing these danger trees within our service territory.
Our drought-like conditions have caused our predominately evergreen forest to become extremely stressed and more prone to attack from pine and
You can help to! If you see a danger tree, please call our arborist, Joe, at (509) 789-4287 to investigate and possibly remove the tree.
10110 W HALLETT ROAD
|
SPOKANE, WA 99224
|
509.789.4277
inlandpower.com