Chill Out and Keep the Bills Down
Any given day and especially on Sundays your campus’s doors are opening, closing, opening, closing. Over and over and over. And that’s a good thing. That’s community ministry.
But it’s also a good reason to look for every way you can this winter to save money around your building – and make sure you have the funds to put toward fall programs, community outreach and Christmas services.
Here are some easy ways to cut back on unnecessary energy expenses at your campus as the weather turns cooler, curated from the best fall and winter savings tips from Energy.gov
No-Brainer: Adjust the Temperature
set the thermostat as low as is comfortable
when nobody is in the building, turn the thermostat back (winter or summer) and save up to 10% on heating and cooling bills
heat pump: if your building has one, consider a programmable thermostat that’s specially designed for heat pumps
Be Bright Not Wasteful: Get a Handle on Holiday Lighting Costs
use LED holiday light strings that consume less energy than incandescents – does anybody use anything else today? Yes, sometimes.
LEDs are made with epoxy lenses, not glass, so they don’t break as easily and they’re going to last a lot longer; worth the investment
super convenient: up to 25 strings of LEDs can be connected, end to end, without overloading a wall socket
Do a Walk-Thru: Find and Seal Leaks
use caulk and weatherstripping to seal air leaks around windows and doors
seal air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes, like plumbing penetrations
check for gaps around recessed lights in insulated ceilings
check for air leaks in closets and any unfinished spaces
Sunshine: It Works for Free
open curtains on south-facing windows during the daytime and close them at night
plant deciduous trees on the south-facing side of the building in proximity to windows – they’ll let winter light and sun come through the windows, and will shade them in summer
Like a Broken Record: Maintain Your Heating Systems
remember to schedule routine service
replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed
don’t forget
