Finding savings in utility bills

Chicago Tribune (MCT) - Embedded in the print of your utility bills is the code to exactly how much energy and natural resources your house consumes. Once you crack that code, you can use your findings to whip your house into an energy-efficient machine. Chris Dorsi has spent his career educating utility companies, schools and consumers on energy.

In his and co-author John Krigger's latest book, "The Homeowner's Handbook to Energy Efficiency" (Saturn Resource Management, 192 pages, $24.95), they explain how to assess your utility bills in order to be easier on your wallet and the environment. Many of the metrics mentioned require calculations, which the authors provide in their book and at homeownershandbook.biz. For a shortcut, check if your utility company will calculate them for you. Dorsi also highly recommends professional home-energy audits for an even deeper understanding of your home's energy usage. (To find a certified energy auditor in your area, visit resnet.us/directory/raters.aspx.)

1. Source of energy. Most area homes tap into natural gas for heat and cooking; electric for cooling and appliances. But don't assume this, Dorsi says. Double-check it against your bills, as well as your actual appliances. "Go find your furnace and see whether it uses natural gas or electricity," he says. "Go find your water heater and your kitchen range and do the same. If it consumes natural gas it will have a chimney. If it has no chimney, it probably is an electrical appliance."

2. Seasonal consumption vs. baseload consumption. Seasonal consumption generally refers to heating and cooling. Baseload consumption refers to energy used by appliances throughout the year. By evaluating which of these two categories drains the most energy and dollars, you can assess which home improvements (awnings, energy-efficient dishwasher, space heater) will make the biggest impact. "Most people will discover it's not as much about the light bulbs and hair dryers and TVs as it is about the heating and cooling," Dorsi says.

3. Seasonal consumption vs. seasonal consumption. Narrowing your comparison to seasonal only will shed light on which months are the biggest energy suckers, and, likewise, which months should tread the lightest. "Let's say an awning salesman shows up and says your home is too hot in the summer sun; buy these awnings for $800," Dorsi says. "But then you find out you're spending only $75 per month for cooling in the summer months. The savings just aren't there."

4. Carbon emissions. "The average family releases something like (20,000) to 30,000 pounds of carbon out of their chimney every year," Dorsi says. About one-fifth of that is tied up in a home's materials, manufacturing and construction, meaning only remodelers and builders will have much control over reducing it. The rest comes from gas and electricity. And, as Dorsi points out, "The real reason to look at CO2 emissions is to have a general awareness."

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5. Year after year. Once you understand your utility bills inside and out, you'll want to go back to them once a year. This evaluation is useful for two reasons. It tracks the cost increases of gas and electricity, and it tracks the impact of any changes or improvements you've made. "You can see in black and white what effect your efforts have had," Dorsi says. "And that is so gratifying."

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