Here, you can find home efficiency tips, information on current programs and incentives, and other useful information to help you save money on your utility bills by conserving energy and water.

 

Being energy efficient means using energy in smarter, less-wasteful ways. From using different light bulbs and insulation to using programmable thermostats and sealing your windows and doors, there are many ways to improve the efficiency of your home and workplace while keeping your electric and heating bills low.

For more information on home weatherization by visiting the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Saver website.

In Texas, most electric utilities participate in energy efficiency programs. The utilities like to promote energy efficiency, because it helps keep the demand for electricity at a manageable and cost-efficient level.

When the population grows, more people need electricity. The need for electricity is also called "demand." The amount of electricity sent over the wires by the utilities is called "load." So, when the population and demand for electricity both increase, it is called "load growth."

If the utilities can continue sending the same amount of power over the wires instead of having to increase it as the population grows, that means that utilities and consumers are all being energy efficient.

The Legislature and the Public Utility Commission set the goals for the utilities to meet. The utilities meet their energy efficiency goals by providing incentive money to energy service providers such as home energy auditors, air conditioning companies, insulation companies, and even home builders to provide energy efficiency services to you. Some energy service companies may then pass that discount to you to match the incentive that the utility pays the company. Before having any energy efficiency measure installed in your home, you should ask the energy service company if there is a discount based on the utility’s incentive to the energy service company.

Some electric cooperatives and municipal utilities offer energy efficiency programs as well. Some examples are:

• CPS Energy
• Austin Energy
• Pedernales Electric Cooperative

For a list of more utilities offering incentives on renewable energy and energy efficiency, visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency at:

Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency®

 

Before having any energy efficiency measure installed in your home, you should check with 2 or more energy service providers to get the best price for the service. An energy service provider can be a home energy auditor, air conditioning company, insulation company, and even a home builder. You should ask the energy service provider if there is a discount based on what incentives your utility may be offering. You should also ask whether there is a fee to audit (check) the home to find the energy efficiency measures that will save you the most energy and money.

One example of a home energy audit is when a professional home energy auditor checks your home for air leakage. They do this by closing all the windows and doors and then pumping air throughout your home to check if air is leaking to the outside. If leaks are found, they can recommend that certain measures be taken to fix the leaks, such as caulking around windows and replacing weatherstripping around doors.

Prices for energy audits vary, depending on the type of audit requested. You could pay anywhere from $79 to $400 for a home energy audit. You should first ask your utility if they provide free or discounted energy audit programs before paying full price. It's also important to shop around. If you like to handle home repairs yourself, you may only need a basic inspection to get the information your need.

To find an energy service provider in your area that participates in your utility’s energy efficiency programs, click on the link below for your utility company.

 

CenterPoint Energy

CenterPoint Energy partners with energy efficiency service providers and local agencies to support residents in saving energy and money. These residential programs are geared to assist residents in making energy efficient upgrades that reduce energy consumption, save money and benefit the environment.

 

Oncor Electric Delivery

Oncor offers several energy efficiency incentive programs.These programs help residential consumers, business owners and government and educational facilities help jump-start their energy efficiency efforts.

 

American Electric Power (AEP)

This includes AEP's Texas North Company, Texas Central Company, and Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO).

AEP has contracts with national and local firms who may contact you about performing work to help save energy and reduce your electric bill.

 

Texas-New Mexico Power (TNMP)

TNMP offers targeted energy efficiency programs for residential and commercial consumers in its service territory. By offering a comprehensive set of programs, TNMP ensures that consumers in all classes have access to energy efficiency services.

 

Xcel Energy

This includes Southwestern Public Service (SPS).

Xcel Energy offers targeted energy efficiency programs for residential and commercial consumers in its Texas distribution service territory. By offering a comprehensive set of programs, Xcel Energy ensures that consumers in all classes have access to energy efficiency services.

 

El Paso Electric

EPE offers incentives to energy services contractors for projects producing electricity demand and energy savings.

 

Entergy Texas

Entergy offers incentive programs and ensures that all consumers have a choice of, and access to, energy efficiency improvements to reduce energy consumption.

 

If you meet certain income requirments, you may be able to have free energy efficiency measures done on your home. This is offered through the Public Utility Commission's Hard-to-Reach Standard Offer Program. Ask your utility or retail electric provider about the standard offer program available in your area.

 

CEAP and WAP

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs’ Energy Assistance Section administers two federally funded programs through local sub-recipient agencies. Application intake, income verification, and all client services are handled by the local agencies.

These programs are the Comprehensive Energy Assistance Program (CEAP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP). CEAP provides heating and cooling home energy assistance. WAP provides weatherization services.

If you need help with utility bills, find the local CEAP service provider nearest you. You may also call toll free (877) 399-8939 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The toll free number will connect you with the CEAP service provider in your county. Please use a land-based phone when dialing the toll free number. If using a cell phone, please dial 2-1-1, and the operator will direct you to your local service provider.

If you need help weatherizing your home , find the local WAP service provider nearest you. You may also call toll free (888) 606-8889 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. The toll-free number will connect you with the WAP service provider in your county.

Please use a land-based phone when dialing the toll-free number. If using a cell phone, please dial 2-1-1, and the operator will direct you to your local service provider. For more information on CEAP and WAP logon to: www.tdhca.state.tx.us/ea/index.htm

To learn more about the programs offered to low-income consumers, visit the Texas Department of Housing and Community affairs website at www.tdhca.state.tx.us/ea/index.htm.

 

• Use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs).
• Caulk around the windows and doors to prevent air leakage.
• Weather strip around doors to prevent air leakage.
• Turn off lights when you leave a room.
• Turn off and unplug appliances and electronics when they are not in use. Many devices, such as televisions and computers, still use power even when they are turned off.
• Unplugging these devices is the best way to make sure they are not using power.
• Use ceiling fans to cool your home instead of turning down the air conditioner.
• Clean or replace the filters for your air conditioner. Dirty filters can make the system work harder and use more power.
• Shade the area around the air conditioner unit outside your house. But make sure to keep the area free from high grass, branches, and debris.

 

More Energy Conservation Tips

• Turn off all unnecessary lights, appliances, and electronic equipment.
• When at home, close blinds and drapes that get direct sun, set air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees or higher, and use fans in occupied rooms to feel cooler.
• When away from home, set air conditioning thermostats to 85 degrees and turn all fans off before you leave. Block the sun by closing blinds or drapes on windows that will get direct sun.
• Do not use your dishwasher, laundry equipment, hair dryers, coffee makers, or other home appliances during the peak hours of 3 to 7 p.m.
• Avoid opening refrigerators or freezers more than necessary.
  Use microwaves for cooking instead of an electric range or oven.
• Set your pool pump to run in the early morning or evening instead of the afternoon.

 

New standards give consumers new lighting choices that are 25-30 percent more efficient than the decades-old, incandescent bulbs. Contrary to reports, incandescent lights are NOT banned—they are simply becoming more efficient.

Not only will these new light bulbs cut your energy bills, they’ll improve the environment by
reducing emissions from power plants due to less energy consumption.

Here’s what you need to know the next time you are looking for a new light bulb:

Know Your Choices. There are 3:

• Halogen incandescents—These look like the older bulbs, but use 25-30 percent less energy
  and can last up to three times longer.
• A new 72-watt, energy-saving, incandescent bulb,
  which replaces the old 100-watt, bulb will cost about $1.50. But each one will save you about
  $3.00 over its lifetime.
• Compact fluorescent lamps—CFLs are your best value. They use about 75 percent less energy than older bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. A $2.00 CFL will save you up to $50 over the bulb’s lifetime. Light-Emitting Diodes—LEDs will last up to 25 years (based upon usage of 3hr/day) and save 75 percent, or more, in energy costs—but they will cost you more to buy than the other choices. Even though LEDs today cost around $25 per bulb, they’ll still save you around $150 over their 25-year lifetime. As they become more common, you can expect their prices to go way down.
• Use lumens, not watts, to get the right brightness: Watts are the amount of energy used, not how bright the light is. Lumens indicate brightness. The lumen-watt equivalents to the old incandescents are approximately:
  40 watts = 450 lumens
  60 watts = 800 lumens
  75 watts = 1,100 lumens
  100 watts = 1,600 lumens In other words, if you are trying to replace your old, inefficient, 60-watt, incandescent bulb with a
  bulb that gives off the same amount of light, look for one around 800 lumens.
• Check the Light “Color”: Light color is measured on the Kelvin (K) temperature scale. Lower K numbers means more yellow light and higher K numbers mean whiter or bluer light. To match the color of older, traditional incandescents, often described as “warm white”, look for 2,700-3,000 K. For a whiter light, look for 3,500 to 4,100 K, and for a bluer light, look for 5,000-6,500 K.
• Read the package: A Lighting Facts label will be required on packages for most bulbs manufactured after January 1, 2012. As shown below, it will tell you the brightness in lumens, estimated yearly energy cost, expected bulb life, light appearance (“warm” or “cool”), wattage (energy used) and whether it meets Energy Star standards (See #8). The label will also tell you if the bulb contains mercury.
  The Mercury Question: CFLs contain a small amount of mercury (typically less than 3 mg.) to produce light. Three milligrams is an infinitesimal amount compared with old thermometers, which contained 500 mg of mercury. Even with the small amount of mercury, CFLs actually reduce mercury in the environment because they reduce the amount of mercury produced by power plants. Intact and in use, CFLs release no mercury. However, like nearly everything else in your house, they need to be properly recycled and cleaned up, if broken. Many retailers recycle CFLs for free. Go to www.epa.gov/cfl for more information.
• Check Carefully for Dimming: Not every LED or CFL bulb is dimmable, so check then packaging.
  Get the Right Bulb for Down Lights or Recessed Lighting: Do not use a pear shaped or spiral CFL bulb inside a recessed ceiling can--they won’t shine the light down where you want it. Instead, choose an LED, CFL, or halogen reflector or flood light.
  Look for the ENERGY STAR label: CFLs and LEDs with the Energy Star Label meet specific performance standards and are subjected to independent testing to help ensure a high level of efficiency and quality.

 

Beware, not all lights qualify. Check out: www.energystar.gov for more info.

Find more information at:
The Department of Energy’s ‘Energy Savers’ Website at: www.energysavers.gov/your_home/lighting_daylighting/index.cfm/mytopic=11975
LUMEN : www.lumennow.org
The National Resources Defense Council’s Light Bulb Guide: www.nrdc.org/energy/lightbulbs/files/lightbulbguide.pdf

 

For more information on energy efficiency programs, helpful tips, and energy-saving products, visit the links below.

U.S. Department of Energy - Learn how to save money on your energy bills.

Energy Savers provides consumers with tips for saving energy and money at home and on the road.

By following just a few of the simple tips found on this Energy Savers website, you can make your home more comfortable and easier to heat and cool—while you save money.

 

Energy Star

ENERGY STAR is a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy helping us all save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices.

 

State Energy Conservation Office

As the state energy office, SECO partners with Texas consumers, businesses, educators and local governments to reduce energy costs and maximize efficiency.

Everything is bigger in Texas, including our energy use. TexasIsHot.org wants to help change this by providing Texans with the tips, tools, and information to be more energy efficient—and save money in the process.