Practical Ways To Manage Your Energy Use

Transcription

1 Practical Ways To Manage Your Energy Use

2 Electricity is a valuable resource to everyone in our community. Without it, we are simply left in the dark. That is why helping our customers use electricity safely and efficiently is so important. We strive to provide electricity at a fair price, balanced with our responsibility to deliver reliable service. You can help by using energy wisely in your home and business. In this booklet, you ll find helpful information for managing your energy use and lowering your electricity bills. Your Electric Meter Your energy use is measured by a meter in kilowatthours (kwh). Most Idaho Power customers have a digital smart meter that displays two numbers, alternately, every few seconds. The number that measures energy use is the kwh reading. It records usage continually, much like an odometer on a car. Reading your meter often can help you learn about how you use energy. To see how many kwh you have used so far this month, simply write down the kwh displayed on your electric meter and subtract the reading shown on your last bill. For example, if the meter reading was on your last bill and today it reads 49000, you have used 350 kwh ( =350). If it has been 10 days, you are using an average of 35 kwh per day (350/10) and likely will use about 1050 kwh during the month (35 kwh x 30 days). For more detailed instructions about how to read your smart meter, go to

3 Understanding Your Energy Use Account Manager 24/7 When you become an online manager of your Idaho Power account, you ll have 24-hour access to a Web portal providing you with everything you ll need to make choices about how you want to do business with us. Learn about your energy use with data from your new smart meter and consider options for participating in a broad range of programs. Energy Use Comparison Annual Electricity Energy Use Uses Least Energy $559 Avg. Home Appliance Use Comparison Uses Most Energy Annual Total Cost $819 My Home Heating $1,080 Electricity Energy Usage Bill Changes Bill Comparison Bill-To-Date* Your home used more energy than most of the similar homes in your area. Last Month s, Current Month and Next Month s Billed Usage Gas How My Usage Compares How I Use Energy When I Use Energy Total Electricity Gas 900 kwh Appliance 720 Profile kwh Heating is your highest energy expense. Try the Detailed Analysis 540 kwh to refine your profile and get specific recommendations for reducing your bill. 360 kwh 180 kwh 0 kwh December 726 kwh $56.61 January 826 kwh $64.68 February Bill-To-Date 539 kwh $44.62 Actual Usage To Date Usage Estimated Total Usage* * This is a simplified estimate of the amount of your next bill. Past usage is not necessarily a reliable predictor of future usage. View additional information and details about these results. To register, go to where you ll find the Account Manager Login box on the home page. Click on Register Now, then provide your account number and last payment amount. For your security, we ll verify your identity, and you ll create a username and password. After that, you are in the driver s seat it s all about your options and choices. With this resource at your fingertips, doing business with Idaho Power is easier than ever 24/7.

4 Where Does My Money Go? An annual energy bill for a typical single family home is approximately $2,200.* Heating 29% Cooling 17% 4% 11% 29% Water Heating 14% 12% Appliances 13% Lighting 12% Electronics 4% Other 11% 13% 14% 17% *source: Larger Appliances 500 kwh 132 kwh 90 kwh 90 kwh 60 kwh 10 kwh 72 kwh 44 kwh 36 kwh 23 kwh 15 kwh 15 kwh 11 kwh 9 kwh 3 kwh 2 kwh To estimate your kilowatt-hour use for any item: watts x hours used/1000=kwh Please Note: These charts show typical monthly appliance energy use. Your use may vary because of family size, lifestyle, amount of use and the wattage rating of your appliances. *electric water heater Water Heater (family of 4)* Refrigerator/Freezer (auto defrost) Household Lighting Clothes Dryer (5 loads/wk) Clothes Washer (5 loads/wk) hot water * Clothes Washer (5 loads/wk) cold water Range Oven Dishwasher (3 loads/wk) heat dry* Smaller Appliances TV (6 hrs per day) Fish Tank (10 gal. with filter & light) Video Game System (on 4 hrs per day) Microwave Oven Computer, CPU and Monitor Hair Dryer Vacuum Stereo

5 Energy Saving Tips & Ideas Year-round Tips 1. Choose compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) or light emitting diodes (LEDs) when replacing light bulbs. 6. Wash full loads of laundry and dishes and use water and energy saving settings and cold water, whenever possible. 2. Always opt for ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs, fixtures and appliances. 3. Unplug or shut off items that aren t in use, even energy efficient lights. 4. Lower the temperature on your water heater to 120 F. Find instructions online. 5. Fix leaky faucets as soon as possible. A hot water leak is an energy drain. 7. Weatherstrip and caulk your doors and windows if you can see light or feel air coming through them. 8. Replace the refrigerator door gasket if you can slip a dollar bill between the door and the frame. 9. Consolidate refrigerators and recycle the old one (we ll pick it up for free and give you $30). Call toll-free Use power management settings on your computer and monitor. Plugging them into a power strip makes them easy to turn off.

6 Summer Tips 1. Use a fan to let moving air cool you and rely less on air conditioning. Ceiling fans should rotate counter clockwise in summer. 8. Don t drastically turn down the temperature on your thermostat. Your house won t cool down any faster. 2. Close the blinds before the sun gets a chance to heat up the house. If it s safe to do so, open windows at night to cool the house. 3. During the heat of the day, keep windows and outside doors closed. 4. Set your furnace or A/C switch to auto rather than on. 5. Cook and do laundry late at night or early in the morning when it s cool. 6. Hang your laundry to dry. As a bonus, your clothes will smell fresh. 7. Replace the furnace filter and clean the outside of your air conditioner. Schedule a tune-up if needed. 9. When replacing an old air conditioner, look for a more efficient one (SEER 14 or higher), preferably an ENERGY STAR qualified model. 10. Cook with a microwave or a barbeque instead of the stove or oven. Either will heat up your food but not your kitchen.

7 Energy Saving Tips & Ideas Winter Tips 1. Turn down the thermostat at night and when the house is empty. Installing a programmable thermostat makes this easy.* 2. Make sure your ceiling fans rotate clockwise in winter. 3. During the day, let the sun heat your home by opening curtains and blinds. Be sure to close them again in the evening. 6. Increase insulation in the attic, walls and crawl space, if applicable. 7. To protect your pipes and keep it warmer under the floor, make sure your crawl space vents are closed. 8. Keep your fireplace damper closed when the fireplace is not in use. 4. Regularly clean or replace the air filter in your furnace. 5. Maintain your furnace or heat pump regularly to keep things running smoothly and efficiently. 9. Install window film or storm windows if you have single-pane windows. 10. Use a timer or motion sensor for outdoor lights so they are on only when needed. *does not apply to heat pumps

8 More Energy-Saving Ideas Check out more tips online. Hints for buying and operating efficient products, as well as tips for building and purchasing homes. General and technical information on energy efficiency for consumers. Publisher of the Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings. Energy Efficiency Programs Idaho Power actively seeks cost-effective ways to encourage wise and efficient use of electricity. To learn more about our programs and incentives, go to Account Manager Sign up as an Account Manager at to get details about your usage, billings and payments, set up Budget Pay, use No Fee Electronic Check to pay bill, update account information and more. To register as an Account Manager, you will need your Idaho Power account number and last payment amount. Once you have this information, click Register Now in the Account Manager box. It s quick, easy and convenient!

9 Energy Assistance Help With Winter Heating Bills Energy Assistance is a federally funded program for qualified households. It provides a one-time benefit per program year to assist with heating costs. Program eligibility is based on household size and income. Idaho Agencies Western Idaho Community Action Partnership Payette Cascade Council Emmett Weiser Nampa, Caldwell El-Ada Community Action Partnership Boise Homedale Mountain Home South Central Community Action Partnership Twin Falls Rupert, Burley Gooding Eastern Idaho Community Action Partnership Lemhi County Idaho Care Line Dial: or Oregon Agencies Community Connection of Northeast Oregon Baker County Community In Action Malheur and Harney Counties Southeastern Idaho Community Action Agency Pocatello American Falls Blackfoot Weatherization Assistance Idaho Power provides financial assistance to Idaho and Oregon Community Action Partnership (CAP) agencies to help cover the cost for weatherization of electrically heated homes for qualified customers. To find out if you qualify for energy or weatherization assistance, contact your local CAP agency.

10 Payment Methods PreferredPay Your monthly Idaho Power bill amount is automatically deducted from your checking account on the due date printed on your bill. You ll continue to receive a printed statement in the mail each month. An application can be found online at Electronic Billing and Payment e-bill Sign up with CheckFree to receive your Idaho Power bill via and make recurring payments from your bank account with no fee. This safe and reliable payment method is provided through MyCheckFree.com. Mail Checks and money orders only to: Processing Center PO Box Seattle, WA No Fee Electronic Check To use this payment method you must be an Account Manager. You ll need your latest Idaho Power bill to register online at After you log in to Account Manager, the first time you make a payment you ll be asked to provide basic banking information, including the routing number from your checking account. Your banking information will be kept secure and confidential.

11 Credit/Debit Card or Check with Fee You can use a credit card or check to pay your bill online or on the phone. You will be charged a nominal convenience fee by NCO Financial, an independent payment service, based upon the amount of your transaction. You may either fill out an online form at or call NCO Financial toll-free Drop Boxes at Idaho Power Offices Use one of the many convenient drop boxes located at Idaho Power offices listed by city in the Service and Billing area of Be sure to enclose your payment stub and your check or money order in the pre-addressed envelope provided. Pay Stations Located in local businesses throughout Idaho Power s service area, pay stations accept cash or electronic checks, accompanied by the bottom portion of your bill. Pay stations cannot process checks over $3,000 and some locations do not accept checks. Hours of operation are subject to change without notice. To find a location near you, go to Pay Stations at /payments. Budget Pay Budget Pay spreads your energy charges evenly throughout the year. Your monthly bill is averaged based on a 12-month billing history. This payment option is available to all current residential customers with no past-due amounts owed.

12 Account Manager Sign up as an Account Manager at www. idahopower.com for assistance including account information changes, new account sign-up, billing questions, payment arrangements, or to turn on and turn off service. Customer Service Visit us at or call us at , toll-free from outside the Treasure Valley. Personal assistance is available weekdays from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Mountain Standard Time. Please note: Monday is our busiest day. It may be easier to reach us Tuesday through Friday. CID# 46842/5k/ Idaho Power