July 2022 EnergyWiseSM Tip: Coffee

By: NPPD Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer Is this the winter you finally have had enough of shoveling now? Data analyzed by the Center for Injury Research and Policy found that annually, snow shoveling leads to about 100 deaths and 11,500 emergency room visits in the U.S. Of those treated for injuries, about 15% resulted from the shovel itself. Maybe it’s time to consider an electric snowblower? Cordless, battery-electric blowers can clear paths up to 24 inches wide through as much as 20 inches of snow. Unlike their gas-powered counterparts, they require very little maintenance, run relatively quietly, are usually lighter and start with just a push of a button. When it comes to one of the quickest, least labor-intensive ways to dig out after a big snowstorm, they are hard to beat. Also, consider the following additional advantages: Single-Stage and Two-Stage Electric snowblowers are available in both single-stage and two-stage models. Single-stage units are lighter and easy to maneuver. They use a single auger to both scoop and discharge snow and are best suited for light to moderate snowfalls. Two-stage snowblowers have an additional impeller, which helps throw the snow further while handling heavier snow more effectively. Power Source Unlike their underpowered, corded predecessors, most electric snowblowers today run off rechargeable batteries for about 30 to 45 minutes on a single charge, which is about how long a tank of gasoline powers a gas snowblower. Operating time can be extended with multiple batteries. Compact and Easy to Store Electric snowblowers take up significantly less space, making them ideal for garages with limited storage space. Maintenance Unlike gas-powered units that require oil changes, tune-ups and gasoline stabilization or draining for extended periods of storage, electric units require almost no maintenance. To keep an electric snowblower running season after season, simply store the charger and batteries indoors when they aren’t being charged or used. Since batteries do not hold the same amount of charge when the temperature drops below freezing, storing and charging them indoors ensures the greatest run time. Both electric and gas snowblowers last around 10 years with proper care and maintenance. However, electric snowblowers require much less effort to maintain. Cost Gasoline-powered snowblowers usually have a higher purchase price, as well as fuel and maintenance costs when compared to electric snowblowers. This is especially true when evaluating smaller or single-stage units.  Your local public power provider, in partnership with Nebraska Public Power District, also offers EnergyWiseSM incentives to their customers who purchase an electric snowblower. Contact them or visit www.energywisenebraska.com for more details

Winter air is dry, and dry air affects how warm a home feels. Low indoor humidity makes people feel colder, even when the thermostat setting is the same as it always has been. When you feel cold, you’ll crank up the heat. And that can lead to higher energy bills. Suggestion: Adding a modest amount of humidity to the air. This can make rooms feel warmer without raising the thermostat. Use a single-room humidifier for sleeping areas or a whole-house humidifier attached to your HVAC if you already have one. Aim for relative humidity between 30 and 40 percent in winter to avoid condensation on windows and minimize mold risk. Adjusting the humidity won’t stop heat loss on its own, though. As you deal with the humidity, seal windows and doors that can let warm air escape from the house. Add insulation to your attic. Caulk gaps around windows and doors, weatherstrip drafty attic-hatch covers and insulate exposed pipes and attic access points. These measures reduce the load on humidifiers and heaters. And simple habits help: Close shades at night to reduce radiant heat loss, keep interior doors open to let warm air circulate and use ceiling fans on low after reversing the direction the blades spin. They should push warm air down.

Staking Technician

Holiday cooking, decorating and hosting mean using more electricity in November and December than usual. Still, a few easy habits can help keep energy use in check while you enjoy the season. Cook smart. Use lids and match pot size to the burner. Use residual oven heat by turning it off a few minutes before a dish is done. Cook multiple dishes together when possible. A slow cooker or pressure cooker is great for sides and keeps the oven free for the turkey. Manage refrigeration. Do not leave the door open while you hunt for items. Chill drinks in a cooler so guests do not crowd the fridge. If you will have a lot of extra food, organize a staging area so people can find what they need quickly. Decorate efficiently. Replace old string lights with LEDs and put them on timers or smart plugs. Use indoor timers so lights turn off at bedtime. Consider battery-operated candles for mantel displays. Control heat. When cooking fills the kitchen with warmth, lower the thermostat a few degrees. Close off unused rooms and focus heat where guests gather. Encourage layering and cozy throws rather than higher thermostat settings. Unplug. Unused chargers and appliances still draw power when plugged in. If you stream music or video, pause or stop devices when not in use. Fill up. Run the dishwasher and washing machine only with full loads and use eco or air-dry cycles if your appliances have them.

Winter storms can cut power quickly. A ready kit reduces stress and keeps your household safe until power returns. Include these essentials in a weather-resistant bin: • Flashlights or headlamps for each person, plus extra batteries. • Portable phone chargers, a car charger and at least one fully charged power bank. • Extra blankets, warm clothing, hats and gloves stored together for quick access. • Three days of nonperishable food and bottled water. Add a manual can opener and some ready-to-eat meals. • A first aid kit, essential prescription medicines and copies of critical medical information. • A battery-powered radio, whistle and a small fire extinguisher. Also, if the power goes out in your home, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed to protect your food. Turn off or unplug electronics to avoid damage from surges when power returns. If you run a generator, keep it outdoors and well away from windows and vents. Next, think about heat and pipes. Open cabinet doors under sinks to let warm air circulate to exposed plumbing. If a pipe freezes, use a hair dryer or warm towels—never an open flame—to thaw it. Finally, plan for your family’s medical needs. If someone relies on a powered medical device, call your utility in advance to learn about backup power options and restoration priority. Share your plan with a neighbor or family member who can check in during a storm. Review and refresh your kit twice a year. Replace expired food and medicine, recharge power banks and check batteries. Label containers and store them where everyone can reach them in the dark.

Southwest Public Power District Rate Increase

Heating your home does not have to mean burning fuel. Electric systems are efficient, clean and increasingly practical. Heat pumps are the leading electric choice. They extract heat from outdoor air or from the ground and move it indoors. Because they transfer heat rather than generate it, they use far less energy than many older systems. Modern air-source models and ground-source or geothermal systems work well in a range of climates. Ductless mini-split systems heat individual rooms and avoid the energy loss that comes with ductwork. Radiant floor systems use thin mats under flooring to deliver gentle, even warmth. High-efficiency electric heaters are useful for zone heating in small spaces. Why consider electric heat? It removes indoor combustion and the risk of carbon monoxide. Maintenance is often simpler. When paired with clean electricity from your electric cooperative or with rooftop solar, electric heat can sharply lower your home’s carbon footprint. Before you switch, tighten insulation and seal air leaks so you do not heat the outdoors. Get an energy audit and a professional load calculation to size equipment correctly. Ask about incentives and rebates from your cooperative or state that can ease upfront costs. Check out hybrid systems, too. In some homes, a heat pump covers most of the year while a small backup system handles rare cold snaps. Electric heating is worth exploring if you want cleaner air, reliable comfort and long-term savings.

Winter weather can push your energy bills higher than you expect. Push back with a few smart devices that help you stay warm and cut electricity use. Many of them are easy to install and simple to use. Start with a programmable thermostat. These devices have all kinds of settings, but their most basic advantage is that they allow you to set your home’s temperature lower when you’re ready for bed or when you leave for work. Then you can schedule it to warm the house a bit before you wake up or get home from work. Some models can learn your routine and make adjustments automatically. Smart plugs are low cost and versatile. Plug lamps, humidifiers, space heaters and other electric devices into them. Then use an app on your phone to switch devices off when you do not need them. Timers and schedules stop devices from running unnecessarily and wasting electricity. An energy monitor shows which appliances draw the most power. Seeing those numbers helps you spot problems like an old freezer running in the basement or an inefficient water heater. Once you see the evidence of wasted electricity, you can unplug the appliance or replace it with one that’s energy efficient. Smart lighting paired with LED bulbs saves energy. You can sync your lights with an app on your phone to dim them or set schedules so lights turn off when you go to bed. You can also group lights by room so they all turn on when you use them and turn off when you leave the space. Even small changes can add up to energy savings, so start with one device and see if you notice a difference on your monthly bill.

By: NPPD Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer In 2001, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory published the results of the National Human Activity Pattern Survey. It revealed that, on average, Americans spend 87% of their time indoors and an additional 6% in enclosed vehicles. In 1800, 90% of Americans worked outside. 200 years later, less than 20% did. As more of our daily lives have been spent inside, the number of people with respiratory diseases, heart disease, certain types of cancer and/or other health problems has dramatically increased. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) defines Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) as the air quality within and around buildings and structures, especially as it relates to the health and comfort of building occupants. Understanding and controlling common pollutants indoors can help reduce the risk of indoor health concerns. While a great deal of energy can be used to purify indoor air, the EPA suggests three basic strategies to mitigate the problems while minimizing the impact on energy costs. Source Control Quite often, the most effective way to improve IAQ is to eliminate individual sources of pollution or to reduce their emissions. Some sources, like those that contain asbestos, can be sealed or enclosed. Others, like toxic and other byproducts from gas stoves or furnaces, can be adjusted or replaced to decrease the amount of emissions. Many activities such as cooking, painting, paint stripping, welding, soldering, or sanding can be taken outside or performed in a mechanically ventilated area. Smoking should never be done inside. Pets can be bathed to reduce their dander. Excess moisture in basements and other high humidity rooms can be managed with a dehumidifier, if necessary, to lower relative humidity to 50% or lower. In many cases, source control is also a more energy and cost-efficient approach to improving IAQ than increasing ventilation. Ventilation As long as the outside air is fairly pollutant-free, bringing fresh air into the home is an effective approach to lowering the concentrations of indoor air pollutants. However, ventilation often requires filtering, heating, cooling, dehumidifying or humidifying. Some homes, especially much older ones, are “leaky” and exchange plenty of indoor and outdoor air through gaps and cracks around foundations, windows siding and attics. But others, especially newer ones, tend to be sealed tightly and require additional ventilation. While opening a window and operating a ventilation fan is a simple way to bring in outside air, considerable energy use is necessary to make the air comfortable. For these homes, installing an energy recovery ventilator that replaces indoor stale air with fresh outdoor air while transferring heat into or out of the incoming air depending on the season is the most efficient and practical solution. Air cleaning Research shows that filtration can be an effective supplement to source control and ventilation. It turns out that 67% of U.S. homes already have a central heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system. If the system’s blower fan is powerful enough, a filter can be installed to create a highly effective whole house air purifier. Filters are rated on a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) scale that ranges from 1 to 20. The higher the number, the smaller the particles it can effectively filter. A MERV rating of at least 13 is necessary to capture 95% of dust, pollen and smoke particles, which can be as small as 0.3 microns in size. High-Efficiency Particulate Air or HEPA filters have a MERV rating of at least 17. However, not all HVAC blowers are powerful enough to overcome the increasing air resistance of the filter as the MERV rating increases. Always check with a certified HVAC professional before installing a filter with a higher MERV rating than your system currently uses. Another way to filter air in a single room or area is to use portable air cleaners, also known as air purifiers or air sanitizers. A standard room air cleaner, operating continuously, can use 250 to 500 kilowatt-hours a year in electricity. This is more than the energy used by some new refrigerators! Note that the energy efficiency of an air purifier is determined by its Clean Air Delivery Rate-to-Watt (CADR/Watt) ratio, where a higher number means more efficiency. Look for a rating above 1.9 for smaller units and a rating above 2.9 for units designed to provide 150 cubic feet or more of filtered air per minute. For more detailed and extensive information about IAQ, The EPA provides “The Inside Story: A Guide to Indoor Air Quality.” In addition to expanding on the importance of IAQ in your home, it offers additional ways to mitigate poor quality air and where to go for professional help. In partnership with Nebraska Public Power District, your local public power provider is happy to help you explore the most efficient way to keep the air in your home or business healthy and clean. Contact them or visit www.energywisenebraska.com for more details.