Home heating and cooling are typically the largest expense baked into residential utility bills and thus one of the best opportunities for energy savings in a person’s home. But all that running back and forth to the thermostat can turn it into a chore pretty quickly.
To help customers trim their electric bills and enjoy a new level of convenience and information, Clark Public Utilities is offering qualified customers the opportunity to have a Nest smart thermostat and up to 10 LED lightbulbs installed in their homes at no cost to them and with no strings attached.
“Upgrading to a smart thermostat can reduce energy waste and maximize comfort all year long,” said Clark Public Utilities Energy Services Program Coordinator Cameron Daline. “Using surplus funds, we’re covering the costs to have these user-friendly and highly efficient thermostats installed in our customers’ homes for free.”
A traditional thermostat is essentially a dial that controls your furnace. A programmable thermostat does that and will automatically adjust the temperature at chosen times. A smart thermostat does all that and much more.
“They take the guesswork out of energy savings,” Daline said.
Nest claims users can save 10 to 12 percent on heating and up to 15 percent on cooling. Clark Public Utilities follows measures set by the Bonneville Power Administration, which estimates savings between $40 and $50 per year.
The thermostat also quickly learns your personal temperature preferences and begins to automatically adjust itself to your comfort zone. But before making any adjustments, it takes your home’s ambient conditions, such as humidity levels, into account.
User friendly
Users can also control the thermostat remotely, say, for those times you want the heat to kick on just before you come home.
While it sounds complicated, the thermostat is built to be as simple to use as possible.
“It feels old school because you turn a dial like an old thermostat and it figures out the rest,” Daline said. “It has a lot of features, but most of those operate in the background. You can keep it as simple as turning the dial up or down.”
Clark Public Utilities customers who, based on their household size, make up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level can qualify. For example: a family of four with a gross monthly income of $8,583 or less is eligible — so long as a other qualifications are met.
Customers must also be listed on the electric account and live in a single-family or manufactured, electrically heated home. The home’s primary heat system must be a heat pump or electric forced-air furnace; ductless heat pumps and electric zonal heating systems are not compatible.
Both homeowners and renters may qualify. Renters need to provide the utility with a signed copy of their rental agreement, along with a signed form from their landlord authorizing the installation of the thermostat.
Finally, homes that already have a smart thermostat installed do not qualify for the program.
Only a limited number of thermostats are available so visit ClarkPublicUtilities.com/nest today to find out if you qualify and to schedule your appointment.
Energy Adviser is written by Clark Public Utilities. Send questions to ecod@clarkpud.com or to Energy Adviser, c/o Clark Public Utilities, P.O. Box 8900, Vancouver, WA 98668.
