Media Contact: Karl Walquist, (775) 834-3891

How can you stay warm and comfortable this winter without running up high energy bills?

Chad Piekarz, an energy efficiency expert with NV Energy, offers his Top 5 recommendations for taking control of power costs.  

• Set your thermostat at 58 degrees during the day and while you're asleep. For mornings and evenings, the setting should be no higher than 68 degrees.  Each degree above 68 can increase your energy bill by up to 2 percent.

• Have your furnace professionally serviced every two years. This can reduce your energy consumption by up to 5 percent. In addition, change your furnace air filters monthly during the heating season so your furnace will operate more efficiently. And install a programmable thermostat so your furnace won't be running at the wrong times.

• Avoid using electric space heaters if possible. It costs about three times more to heat a home with electricity instead of natural gas. If the primary source of heat in your home is electric, use low wattage space heaters rather than conventional baseboard electric heaters that require more juice. 

• Inspect the insulation levels in your attic and on your duct system. Heat loss occurs rapidly in a home if the insulation is inadequate. An R-38 insulation value is ideal in attic areas and duct systems should be insulated with at least R-6 value insulation.

• Use ceiling fans to move warm air down toward the floor.  In most homes, a low-speed clockwise rotation will pull cold air up and push warm air back down without creating a cool breeze.

For more winter conservation tips, visit NVEnergy.com.