It may not feel like it yet, but soon it will be time to pull out fall sweaters and warm scarves. Cuddling up with some hot chocolate while wearing a warm sweater is one of my favorite parts of the season. Unfortunately, every fall, when we turn on the heat for the first time, our energy bills go up as we combat the chill, and if you are like me, staying warm while keeping your energy bill low is a priority.
As a DC Solar for All participant, you already save up to $500 a year on your electricity bill, but I also wanted to share a few of my favorite tips for keeping warm and saving money when it starts to get cool.
During fall and winter months, lowering your thermostat to 68°F while you are not home or while you are sleeping can help you save as much as 10% of your energy cost.* If you have a programmable thermostat, it can be set to automatically adjust for times when you don’t want your heat to run as often.
Opening your curtains or blinds during the day lets in the sun’s warming rays, and about 76% of sunlight that falls on standard double-pane windows enters to become heat.* Just don’t forget to close your curtains or blinds again at night to help insulate from nighttime temperatures!
Finally, sometimes energy efficiency upgrades are needed to make energy bills more affordable, but many of these upgrades can be difficult to install by yourself. Beginning October 1, 2021, the DC Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) will reopen and begin accepting applications to take advantage of energy efficiency upgrades chosen specifically to meet energy needs — like insulation, duct sealing, and heating and cooling systems repairs or replacement. WAP is open to Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) qualified households.
Wishing you a warm and cozy fall!
Serving With Joy,
Kristal Virgil
Director of Organizational Development and Customer Support