SPOKANE, Wash. – Dec. 3, 2020: During the colder months, home heating is responsible for 40-60 percent of the charges on a customer's monthly energy bill. Just as they do every year when colder weather starts to set in, home heating systems across Avista's service territory are running more frequently and for longer periods of time. This increased activity means increased energy use, resulting in higher monthly energy bills.
 
Reducing the amount of time a heating system operates can help lower energy use. One of the most common drivers of increased heating system activity is a cold air draft. Air drafts are essentially air leaks and can be found in any age or type of home. Drafts cause warm air (and the energy used to generate it) to escape, decreasing customer comfort inside a home. Fireplace dampers and cracks in or around windows and doors are common sources of drafts. 

Customers can take simple steps to address these issues and help manage their energy costs.

•    Install multi-use window plastic and rope caulk to keep cold air out and warm air in. Both items can be found at local hardware stores for as low $3 and are easy to install, requiring no additional tools or hardware. The items are also easy to remove, making them excellent weatherization options for renters or for those in temporary housing situations.
•    Add door sweeps and weather stripping around exterior facing doors to help stop cold air drafts.
•    Close the damper on a fireplace, when it’s not in use. This simple step can prevent 25% of the heat in a home from escaping out the chimney.
•    Install energy efficient LEDs to use up to 80 percent less electricity while producing the same amount of light as older incandescent or CFL lightbulbs. This is especially effective during the winter as daylight decreases and relying on natural sun light to keep home interiors lit becomes difficult.
•    Setting your heating thermostat at 68 degrees when you are home and reduce it a few degrees at night and when you are away.
•    Using space heaters only in small, occupied areas for short periods of time and not using them as a main source of heating. They can be more costly to operate than other heat sources.

For more information and tips on how cold weather impacts Avista bills, as well as video demonstrations on low-cost, easy-to-use weatherization items, visit myavista.com/winterbill. 
 

About Avista Utilities
Avista Utilities is involved in the production, transmission and distribution of energy. We provide energy services and electricity to 395,000 customers and natural gas to 364,000 customers in a service territory that covers 30,000 square miles in eastern Washington, northern Idaho and parts of southern and eastern Oregon, with a population of 1.6 million.  Avista Utilities is an operating division of Avista Corp. (NYSE: AVA). For more information, please visit www.myavista.com. The Avista logo is a trademark of Avista Corporation.

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