As utilities move to Time of Use rates that charge more in the weekday afternoons and evenings, you will have more control over your electric bills. Below are some ways you can change your lifestyle to take advantage of these rates.
CHEAP COST : The cheapest energy is using NO energy. You can avoid using energy by:
1) Hang your clothes on the drying rack
2) Eat foods that don't require long oven and stove times
3) Use cold water for your laundry which will avoid re-heating the water in your hot water tank
4) Keep the refrigerator door closed
5) Keep lights off (however LED lights use very little electricity)
6) Use a laptop computer (17 watts) instead of a Desktop computer (200 watts)
7) Add insulative foam panels to the back sides of your refrigerator “freezer” (not over the refrigerator
portion where heating escapes)
8) Place warning signs around the kitchen for reminders of new habits
9) Ensure front and back doors and all windows are closed
10) Open shades on the south side of the house in the winter and close the shades on the shaded side
11) Don't use any resistive heating if possible, You can turn on your oven with the door slightly open but set a timer for safety
12) Inspect and add weather stripping around front door
13) Caulk leaks around windows,
14) Add “outside” thermometers on four sides of the house to become aware when to close windows and save heat in the house
15) Use motion sensors on wall switches and a time on the bathroom fan
16) Provide training to all household occupants for new habits
17) Use light wall colors to reflect light rather than dark colors which absorb light,
18) Purchase a Kill-a-Watt meter for $25 and measure the watts used by your refrigerator (about 100 watts), TV (70 watts), computer, toaster, lamps, etc. It is fun to educate yourself.
19) Use a TV antenna and do not use an always-on Cable TV box
20) Close doors and heater ducts to rooms that are not used
21) Replace the furnace air-filters for better flow
22) Free Education = Attend You Tube webinars from CRES, attend CRES meetings. www.cres-energy.org
LIST OF DELAYED ACTIONS UNTIL CHEAP RATES start: 1) Delay EV charging, 2) Delay dishwasher, 3) Delay laundry and drying, 4) Delay Hybrid hot water, 5) Delay cooking, 6) Vacuum the carpet only during cheap times (vacuums pull a lot of power) 7) Delay using a Hair-dryer (1300 – 1500 watts)
MEDIUM COST:
1) Join a Community Solar Project to buy electricity from a shared solar array
2) Purchase energy monitors to learn which circuits are using the most power
3) Install Sun tunnels for natural lighting
4) Install storm windows as a second layer to your windows https://thinkalpen.com/products/winsert-introduction/
5) Add a glass screen door to protect your main door from low temperatures
6) Replace LED lights that are 5 years old with brand new LEDs because today’s LEDs are more efficient than 5 year old LEDs due to technology advancements
7) Replace any refrigerator older than 2004 with an E-Star rated refrigerator (1/4 the watts)
8) Get an energy audit, https://hvacree.net/xcel-co/public_search.cfm
9) Have Xcel Energy service your home with new LEDs https://xehomeenergysquadco.as.me/schedule.php
STEEP COST:
1) Get a Rheem Hybrid hot water tank $1200 and do NOT use the instant On-Demand hot water
2) Add roof top solar energy - both electric and hot water
3) Add PV Battery back up
4) Replace widows but insist on a LOW U value Example= U0.12 to U0.16 windows
5) Add thick insulation and dense-pack Insulation in your walls above ground and basement
6) Add heating with Hot Air panels
7) Add Automatic shades inside and outside
8) Add Heat-Pump Mini splits of high SEER >40, high HSPF =15 and a high COP Coefficient of Performance >4 to 1 energy multiplier
TEST QUESTION: All of the above savings and inconveniences are not necessary if your PV system generates surplus electricity? FALSE! The rates of TOU will charge high rates during the early evening hours even when there is no sun. If you install energy storage through a battery backup system, you can draw power during the high electricity rate period.