It is cold outside and keeping the power bill low during this time of year can be difficult. NV Energy wants to help with a free energy assessment. An expert will come to your home or office and recommend ways to better save energy at no charge to the customer.
Some of the more common recommendations that may cost a few dollars to fix include insulating air ducts and making sure they are sealed correctly. They find many homes need more insulation in the attic as well. Also, fixing window leaks can be a good investment.
A few no-cost ways include some misconceptions such as leaving air vents open even if you're not using the room. They say heating and cooling systems are designed with ever vent in mind and closing them only disrupts the flow. The most common issue they find is customers incorrectly setting the thermostat.
"For a residence you wouldn't want to run it above 68 degrees,” said Chad Piekarz with NV Energy. “Once you start doing that, one degree can add 2% to your bill immediately and then it goes up pretty rapidly from there." Piekarz says it's best to set the thermostat to 68 degrees when you're at home and 58 when you're gone.
NV Energy is giving away free smart thermostats, which are said to save customers an average $100 per year on energy bills.
"NV Energy offers a smart thermostat program and we'll come out and install one of these for free…upgrading this and having it programmed correctly is pivotal to lowering the bills,” said Piekarz.
To schedule an appointment for a free energy assessment, email powershift@nvenergy.com or call 1-800-962-0399.
For a free smart thermostat, email thermostats@nvenergy.com or call 1-855-676-9373.
