Dominion Virginia Power Offers Home Winterizing Tips
RICHMOND, Va. -- With daily stories about higher energy prices
this winter, Dominion Virginia Power customers are encouraged to use smart
energy
practices to keep their homes warm and heating systems working at peak efficiencies.
Heating
costs can account for 25 percent to 50 percent of
a home’s total energy expense, so efficiency experts offer these tips to control
heating costs:
Have a qualified heating contractor inspect and service
your system to ensure it is safe and working at peak efficiency.
If you have a forced-air heating system, clean or replace
the filter monthly an keep heat vents open and unobstructed by furniture.
Seal all ductwork at joints and intersections with duct
sealer or silicone caulk. Otherwise supply ductwork can leak heated air into
the attic or crawl space, and outside air can be drawn into the return ductwork,
increasing costs and reducing comfort dramatically.
Set the thermostat at the lowest temperature you find
comfortable. Setting it lower at night will produce savings with gas and oil
systems, but is not recommended for heat pump systems unless you have a programmable
thermostat specifically designed for that system.
If you have a gas or oil furnace, consider adding a high-efficiency
heat pump. It could save you up to 60 percent on heating costs this winter
and keep you cool next summer.
Air leakage accounts for about 30 percent of heating expenses.
Experts agree on these recommendations:
Use caulk or expanding spray foam to seal around pipes
and wires that lead from the attic or crawl space into the home. Install gaskets
in outlets and switches on outside walls to prevent air leakage.
Caulk cracks around window and door moldings, and weather-strip
around doorframes and at the top and bottom of window sashes.
Caulk cracks around masonry fireplaces and keep the damper
closed when not in use.
Weather-strip and insulate attic doors and pull-downs.
Check the attic insulation. If it is sparse or badly settled, consider blowing
in more to bring it up to a minimum of R-30.
If you have a crawl space, make sure the vents are closed
and you have a good vapor barrier (6-mil polyethylene) on the ground. If you
don't have insulation in the floor, consider adding R-19 insulation batts.
The U.S. Department of Energy Web site also has information
on winterizing your house and other ways to make your home energy-smart. For
more information, visit the
DOE on the Internet.
Dominion Virginia Power is a subsidiary of Dominion, one
of the nation’s largest producers of energy, with a production capability of
2.7 trillion British Thermal Units (BTUs) of energy per day. The company has
a power generation portfolio of more than 19,000 megawatts, which is expected
to grow to more than 28,000 megawatts by 2005. Dominion is one of the largest
independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies in North
America, with 2.8 trillion cubic feet of equivalent reserves. Dominion also
serves 3.8 million retail natural gas and electric customers.
