JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – We all love summer — until the power bill shows up.
With the heat cranking up, I’ll walk you through a few small changes that can help keep your house comfortable and bring some cool savings.
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It’s all part of a free program offered by JEA that will look at how much energy you’re using and how to save you money.
I volunteered to check it out so we could share with you just how the program works.
Where to start
According to JEA, the first step is for you to call 904-665-6000 to schedule your free efficiency assessment. (Click here to learn more about the program.)
Before JEA’s representatives come to your home, they will check out your utility consumption based on your bills, so they know where to start in your home.
When Kelly Cox and Luke Byous, senior meter specialists with JEA, came over to my house, they started with my thermostat and air vents.
“Typically, you want to see this set to 78,” Cox said, pointing at my thermostat control. “That’s what we recommend.”
Cox pointed out that my thermostat was set to 76, but the temperature in the room was reading as 78. That means my A/C was working to lower the temperature, but if I’d had it set at 78, the unit wouldn’t be costing me energy.
Also, the specialists said to make sure the fan is set to AUTO, not ON, or it will run all day and drive up your bill.
Temperature split
Cox said JEA’s specialists check something called the temperature split.
First, they measure the temperature at the “return” vent, which should match the air temperature showing on your thermostat. Next, they check the supply vent temperature.
Cox said a typical “temperature split” should be 15 to 20 degrees. My return was at 76 degrees, and my supply was at 62/61 degrees, which puts my split just in that normal range.
So what would be a bad temperature split? Cox said lower numbers, like a 5 to 6 degree difference, can be a sign of a problem, like a heat strip issue.
Think of a heat strip like a toaster oven. Those hot coils can get stuck on and fight the A/C cooling process in the summer.
Lowering your load
JEA can check the load on your meter. If your system is pulling way more power than it should, that’s a red flag.
“What the meter does is that it tells you what the load is in the house,” Byous said.
So how can you lower the load?
Block the sun
One easy fix is to block heat before it gets inside by closing blinds or curtains, especially on south and west-facing windows during peak sun.
“Block that sunlight from coming into your air conditioned area,” said Byous.
Fix toilet leaks
Sometimes the culprit of a higher JEA bill could be a leaky toilet, which could lead to hundreds of dollars more in one month.
So be sure to check for and fix any leaks.
Check insulation
Outside, check your refrigerant line insulation. If it’s worn out and baking in the sun, your system has to work harder.
“Yours, the insulation is probably quite a few years old, and if the sun beats down on your refrigerant line, it actually warms up the refrigerant, which might hurt your temperature split,” Byous explained.
So how much energy am I really spending?
JEA will put it all into an Energy Assessment Report, showing what your habits cost, and what’s driving up the bill.
According to JEA, my usage is:
- 16% for hot water
- 29% for A/C
Cox told me that I spend a $1.28 a day on air conditioning, which he said is actually pretty good. And I spend $3 a day on just electricity, so appliances, lights, things like that.
Along with my water usage, which is pretty low, according to Cox, my bill for next month should be about $106.
Other money-saving reminders
These habits can also help you save money on your monthly JEA bill:
- Get your HVAC checked every six months
- If you’re not home, raise the thermostat threshold to a warmer temperature
- Turn off the lights when you leave a room
- For every degree you increase your thermostat setting, you can save 5% to 6%
- Use your fan; it makes it 3-4 degrees cooler, so the A/C runs less