PowerHouse News - June 2009
WPL edition
In this issue:
The power of $1
These days, it’s hard to buy even a candy bar for less than a dollar. But for one dollar’s worth of electricity, you can do so much. Since electricity is something we can’t see, it can be easy to overlook its value. But when you realize all that you can do for one dollar’s worth of electricity, it’s clear that it’s still a bargain.
Appliance wattages and usage times will vary with age and size of appliance, as well as individual usage patterns. To determine your appliances’ operating costs, use the following formula:
Appliance wattage x hours of use/1000 x $.1148 per kWh = Operating Cost
Easy ways to save
Even with electricity being a good deal, we all want to trim our expenses as much as possible. Here are some ways to do just that.
Reduce appliance costs.
If your refrigerator is old, consider replacing it. Replacing a refrigerator more than 18 years old with a new ENERGY STAR® unit will reduce electricity usage by more than 45 percent.
Reduce cooling costs.
Reduce lighting costs.
One-touch power control for your electronics
Many electronic devices, such as home theatre components and computer peripherals like monitors, printers and speakers consume electricity even when they’re turned “off.” This energy used in the off position is called standby power and can account for up to 5-10 percent of your home’s electricity use. One option to reduce standby power is to simply unplug devices. However, unplugging each of them when not in use, and reconnecting them when needed can be impractical.
The solution: A switchable power strip. It looks similar to a standard power strip, but it’s smarter! One outlet is designated as the command outlet and controls the rest of the outlets. Here’s how it works: plug your computer into the command outlet and your printer, speakers, task lighting, etc. into the controlled outlets. When you turn your computer off, your peripherals will power off automatically.
This device is also useful with home entertainment centers. A TV, VCR, DVD, Satellite receiver or set-top box, stereo preamp, gaming console and CD player, even when “off” can collectively draw as much power as your refrigerator – even when you’re asleep or away from home. Plug it all into a switchable power strip, and when you turn off your TV, everything else powers off, too!
The strip also features several “always on” outlets for use with devices that you do not want to power off, such as a VCR, or DVD-R that is set to record while you’re away.
Although electronics manufacturers are cutting down on the amount of standby power devices require, when you add it up it can still be a burden on your wallet. A switchable power strip may be able to help control power usage and energy costs in your home! Shop for one at your favorite hardware store or home improvement center.
Ask the Expert – Pools and Power lines
Look up before you dive in
Before you set up your pool for the summer, Dan Green, Line Clearance and Line Inspection Manager for Alliant Energy says look up.
“You’d be surprised how often we’re out doing routine inspections and spot a backyard pool underneath the home’s electrical service line,” said Green. “Most people don’t realize how dangerous that is.”
Green says the National Electrical Safety Code requires electric lines be at least:
You risk electrocution if pool cleaning tools on long aluminum poles touch power lines. There’s also the dangerous mix of water and electricity.
He recommends a portable ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) if you plug your pool filter in to an outdoor outlet. Just like the GFCI outlets in your bathroom, if the current flowing through the circuit differs by a small amount from that returning, the GFCI switches off the power faster than a blink of an eye to prevent a lethal dose of electricity.
In addition, pools should not be placed on top of underground utility lines. The weight of the filled pool could damage underground cables, and the pool would have to be moved if it becomes necessary to repair underground lines.
Before installing an in-ground or above-ground pool, contact Alliant Energy at 1-800-ALLIANT to make sure the site is safe and all applicable codes can be met.
If your installation requires digging – always remember to call 811 before you dig to locate underground utilities.
What’s on the Web? – Online Reward forms
Earn energy-efficiency cash!
Stretch your dollars even further by choosing energy-efficient products. Alliant Energy’s participation in Focus on Energy makes it easy for Wisconsin residents to cash in on rewards for their energy-smart buys including energy-efficient water heaters, compact fluorescent light bulbs, gas furnaces, boilers, and ceiling fans. Cash-back claim forms are just a click away at focusonenergy.com/Incentives.
Focus on Energy works with eligible Alliant Energy customers to install cost effective energy smart choices. Since energy-efficient products come with a higher price tag than standard efficiency equipment, they offer the Cash-Back Rewards and Financial Incentives to help off-set the costs.
Before you go shopping, print out a claim form and take it with you. Program requirements are printed on the back. The Focus on Energy Web site also features an eligibility tool and easy-to-access lists of pre-approved equipment. Not near your computer? Call 800-762-7077 for more information.
End utility bill payment chores forever!
Paying your utility bill is simple, fast and worry-free with Alliant Energy’s FREE bill payment option, Easy Pay. Enroll in Easy Pay and join 160,000 other Alliant Energy customers paying their bill the easy way with Easy Pay!
Simply sign up and your utility bill will be automatically deducted from your checking account. Your bill will always be paid on time, and you’ll continue to receive a monthly bill statement showing your energy usage and amount billed to review and track at your convenience.
Save time and money with Easy Pay
Choose from two easy ways to sign up
Do you know what’s buried in your yard?
There are more than 2.2 million miles of natural gas pipelines in the United States, and most people either work or live near a pipeline. If you are a natural gas customer, pipelines bring natural gas directly to your home or business.
Since pipelines are buried underground, pipeline operators like Alliant Energy use markers to show the approximate location of pipelines – particularly in rural areas (not all lines are marked, so it’s important to call your state’s One Call Center before digging). These markers display the following information:
Pipelines often run along a public street, but may also be near or on private property. If the pipeline is on or near your property, the owner of the pipeline has the right to restrict certain activities on either side of the pipeline, which is known as the right-of-way. This is to provide access to pipeline operators, like Alliant Energy, in the event of an emergency or to perform maintenance.
Right-of-way locations are usually recorded with counties or local municipalities and filed on maps. If you are planning a construction project, please contact your local utility and government office. Any time your project requires you to dig, make sure you know what’s below by calling 811 before you start.
Customer Spotlight: Tammie Hogan, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
How to give a 65-year old home an energy efficiency facelift
When Tammie Hogan bought her house in December 2004, she knew her primary focus would be improving its energy efficiency. In the long run, she was confident she’d get more bang for her buck from energy improvements than granite countertops – besides, she was freezing under a pile of blankets in the 1,800-square foot Cape Cod built in 1944!
Little did she know that the knee walls and dormers unique to Cape Cod-style homes could be a real challenge to insulate. Her dad, Kevin, who teaches contractors how to insulate and air-seal homes through Focus on Energy’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program, knew just where to start. They began by installing dense-packed insulation in the sidewall cavities and the tiny, triangular shaped attic.
In the basement, they put up foam board insulation and finished the walls. A new furnace with a high-efficiency ECM motor, a new water heater and an air conditioning unit with a 13 SEER rating came soon after. She had ENERGY STAR windows and doors installed, and every light in her home has had a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) since the first day.
Saving on labor costs with her dad’s installation help, Tammie figures she spent around $10,000, and received about $1,050 in Cash-Back Rewards from Focus on Energy. “The paperwork was a snap, and it’s been great to see the huge reductions in my energy bills,” she said.
Her best tip for fellow homeowners? Get a home energy audit through Focus on Energy’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Program, or for income-qualified homeowners, Targeted Home Performance, and begin with the biggest project that has the biggest payback you can afford. “You’ll begin saving energy and money right away, plus you’ll be a lot more comfortable based on the kind of improvement you’ve made.”
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