AUBURN - As the long, cold months of winter drag on and heating costs rise, the expense of keeping warm is a primary concern for many.
Chet Susslin / The Citizen
Doug Ververs presents information on making homes more energy efficient during a presentation in Auburn Tuesday afternoon.
Doug Ververs presents information on making homes more energy efficient during a presentation in Auburn Tuesday afternoon.
On Tuesday afternoon, the Cornell Cooperative Extension hosted a seminar, giving people a little insight into not only where the money goes, but what they can do to help decrease at least some of the expense of staying warm.
Doug Ververs, executive director of the cooperative extension, hosted the energy workshop that is co-sponsored by the extension EmPower NY and NYSERDA (New York State Energy Resource Development Agency).
From his own personal background, energy costs and heating are issues Ververs are familiar with.
“I've been working in the field of energy one way or another for over 20 years,” Ververs said. “I was a commercial landlord; I was a self-employed contractor. So over the years, I have dealt with energy in a lot of different ways.”
Throughout the two-hour program, Ververs discussed some of the common misconceptions about energy costs.
“People will say they've changed every light bulb in the house,” he said. “And they still aren't seeing any change. Well, lights generally only account for about 10 percent or less of energy costs in the home.”
Ververs said that items like household appliances, such as computers, account for around 28 percent, water heating around 14 percent, and that heating and air conditioning account for the largest percentage at an average of 42 percent.
As proof of this, Ververs presented a study done in Syracuse, comparing an energy efficient home to an average home.
In areas such as major and small appliances and lighting, both homes were about even, but in the area of heating and cooling, the energy efficient home saved on average $1,180 per year.
“There isn't a great deal of difference,” Ververs said. “But when you look at the heating costs that is where there is a huge difference.”
Ververs next looked at where the differences were and where the money was going for this discrepancy in heating costs. Common problems are things such as unsealed windows and poor insulation, things where little changes can make a huge difference.
“There are simple things you can do,” Ververs said. “Caulking windows, using the storms, using sweeps on the bottoms of doors, all these things can make a difference in heating costs.”
Ververs also said it is important to have homes properly insulated, not only in the attics, but the whole house.
Other things to be aware of, Ververs said, are things like thermostat settings and keeping heat and cold air ducts open and uncovered. Along with installing an automated thermostat, Ververs said just being aware of settings can make a noticeable difference.
For every degree the thermostat is turned down over a 24-hour period, it saves about three percent on energy costs.
Ververs also recommended turning the thermostat down when people are away from home eight hours or more or are sleeping.
“You have to have it set where you are comfortable,” Ververs said. “But you can do other things like put on more layers of clothing, rather than turn up the thermostat.”
Caulking windows are small things most people can do on their own, but it is recommended that if possible, homeowners try to have a home performance evaluation done by a certified professional to look for problems areas and what can be done to correct them.
For lower income homes, Ververs recommended also looking into organizations like EmPower NY and the Cayuga-Seneca Action Agency, which offer a variety of assistance programs.
To learn more
For more information on energy saving options contact EmPower NY at 1-800-263-0960 or visit www.getenergysmart.org
Doug Ververs, executive director of the cooperative extension, hosted the energy workshop that is co-sponsored by the extension EmPower NY and NYSERDA (New York State Energy Resource Development Agency).
From his own personal background, energy costs and heating are issues Ververs are familiar with.
“I've been working in the field of energy one way or another for over 20 years,” Ververs said. “I was a commercial landlord; I was a self-employed contractor. So over the years, I have dealt with energy in a lot of different ways.”
Throughout the two-hour program, Ververs discussed some of the common misconceptions about energy costs.
“People will say they've changed every light bulb in the house,” he said. “And they still aren't seeing any change. Well, lights generally only account for about 10 percent or less of energy costs in the home.”
Ververs said that items like household appliances, such as computers, account for around 28 percent, water heating around 14 percent, and that heating and air conditioning account for the largest percentage at an average of 42 percent.
As proof of this, Ververs presented a study done in Syracuse, comparing an energy efficient home to an average home.
In areas such as major and small appliances and lighting, both homes were about even, but in the area of heating and cooling, the energy efficient home saved on average $1,180 per year.
“There isn't a great deal of difference,” Ververs said. “But when you look at the heating costs that is where there is a huge difference.”
Ververs next looked at where the differences were and where the money was going for this discrepancy in heating costs. Common problems are things such as unsealed windows and poor insulation, things where little changes can make a huge difference.
“There are simple things you can do,” Ververs said. “Caulking windows, using the storms, using sweeps on the bottoms of doors, all these things can make a difference in heating costs.”
Ververs also said it is important to have homes properly insulated, not only in the attics, but the whole house.
Other things to be aware of, Ververs said, are things like thermostat settings and keeping heat and cold air ducts open and uncovered. Along with installing an automated thermostat, Ververs said just being aware of settings can make a noticeable difference.
For every degree the thermostat is turned down over a 24-hour period, it saves about three percent on energy costs.
Ververs also recommended turning the thermostat down when people are away from home eight hours or more or are sleeping.
“You have to have it set where you are comfortable,” Ververs said. “But you can do other things like put on more layers of clothing, rather than turn up the thermostat.”
Caulking windows are small things most people can do on their own, but it is recommended that if possible, homeowners try to have a home performance evaluation done by a certified professional to look for problems areas and what can be done to correct them.
For lower income homes, Ververs recommended also looking into organizations like EmPower NY and the Cayuga-Seneca Action Agency, which offer a variety of assistance programs.
To learn more
For more information on energy saving options contact EmPower NY at 1-800-263-0960 or visit www.getenergysmart.org
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