Distance Learning, Working From Home Could Make Your Electric Bill Rise; NFEC shares 6 Ways to Make Your Home Office Energy Efficient

NFEC Billing Analyst, Russell Mariano, shared some interesting, though not surprising, data showing that residential usage was up 17% during the week of March 15-21, which was Spring Break for most in the NFEC service area,  when compared to the week before when kids were in school and most adults were in their normal work routines.

“A lot of us are working from home and have kids at home and will be using more energy, period,” Mariano said. “The last thing you need is to have sticker shock when your bill comes at the end of the month.”

As shown in this data, working and learning from home, even on a temporary basis, may increase your energy use. It means that you're spending more time using a computer, lights and other appliances at home instead of in your school or workplace. But by improving the energy efficiency of your home office equipment, you can save on energy costs without hampering your productivity.

  1. Make sure computers and other office equipment are turned off when they're not in use for an extended period.

  2. Many electronic devices continue to use standby power even after they're turned off. Connect your office equipment to an advanced power strip, which will automatically shut off power to unused devices.

  3. Set office equipment, such as printers and scanners, to automatically switch to sleep mode when not in use. In addition to saving energy, the equipment will stay cooler, which will help to extend its useful life.

  4. Use a laptop computer instead of a desktop. Laptops use less than one-third the energy of a typical desktop computer.

  5. Adjust the thermostat to the unoccupied setting. This avoids wasting energy by conditioning the entire house while you're occupying only a small portion of it. Consider using a ceiling fan to maintain comfort.

  6. Use task lighting with energy-efficient lamps. A desk lamp uses less energy than whole-room lighting.

When purchasing new office equipment, make sure it's ENERGY STAR® qualified. ENERGY STAR-certified products use less energy than standard models. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, if every home office product purchased in the U.S. were ENERGY STAR qualified, Americans would save an estimated $75 million a year in energy costs.

Looking for a tool to track your usage at home?  Download the SmartHub app for free and you’ll have convenient access to your usage, allowing you to make adjustments before you’re hit with a high bill.  SmartHub provides convenient account access and two-way communication with NFEC online or via your mobile device. Manage payments, notify customer service of account and service issues, check your usage and receive special messaging from your provider all at the touch of a button. SmartHub is available on Android and iOS smartphones and tablets, as well as https://nfecoop.smarthub.coop/Login.html.

Connie Ferrero