How Do I Lower My Energy Costs?

Last week the City Cast Portland podcast talked to Charlotte Shuff of the Oregon Citizens’ Utility Board about what changes the group is pushing for in Salem and advice on how to lower your utility bills. That’s important given that costs are way up. Natural gas (traditionally the cheapest option) has risen 42% for NW Natural customers. Their recommendations for lowering your utility bill include:

• “I recommend setting your heater for 68 degrees in the winter when you're home, and then lowering that about 10 degrees when you're away at work, out to dinner, or while you're asleep. That can be a pretty big chunk of change — about 10% energy bill savings just from that.” 
• They also recommend finding the drafty spots in your home, specifically “adding caulking to your window and door frames. If you're a homeowner and you have a house, adding things like attic insulation can really lower those bills, but even for renters, just adding that temporary weather stripping around your doors and windows can make a really big difference.”
• To get to the next level with insulating your home there are free weatherization classes. “Community Energy Project is a really excellent local organization. They're based in Portland and offer free classes on DIY weatherization for anyone in the Multnomah County area. They also provide free supplies for income qualified folks.” 
• There are also discounts on utility bills available for “anyone who's 60% of the state median income” — for context, a family of four making $60,000 or less a year will qualify….these discounts are really exciting because they're not insignificant. For PGE, you can get 15 to 25%. For Pacific Power, it's 20 to 40%, and for NW Natural, it's also 15 to 40%.” Those programs are in addition to assistance programs that cover people who have a need. (You can use both.)

For more on what changes Shuff is pushing for in Salem this legislative session, you can listen to the full podcast.