MAKING ENDS MEET: How to save money on energy bills | Local News

There are free resources in our area people can take advantage of to fully understand how energy in their home is being used and if any improvements can be made. One of those free resources is a Home Energy Check-Up with an EPB Energy Pro.

Energy Pros will come out to your home and assess ways to improve energy efficiency.

You can also save thousands on home energy improvements with the EPB and TVA EnergyRight® Home Energy Rebate program, offered through 2027. Whether you need a new HVAC unit, windows, water heater or insulation, this program can help.

Chattanooga resident Linda Williams qualified for a rebate and had a new HVAC system installed. She also got a Home Energy Check-Up and is looking for some insight on how energy in her home is being used, specifically in her kitchen and sunroom.

“When it’s hot, typically it’s warmer in this [sunroom], so I know probably some of the air is escaping,” Williams said. “In the winter, it was definitely cold.”

Williams said she recently moved from a home nearly double the size of her current one, yet there was not a big difference in her energy bills.

“I kept thinking, ‘well, why is this place so much more expensive?’ It could be because I was losing energy, and it was taking more to heat it up and keep me warm,” Williams said.

EPB Energy Pro Nate Thomasson did Linda’s home energy check up to assess her concerns.

“We’ll be looking at the attic insulation levels… how well the heating and air system is running in the home,” Thomasson said. “We’ll look for signs of how well the home was air sealed, and we’ll also look at the ductwork.”

Thomasson said HVAC units can be one of the biggest energy users in a home and need to be serviced annually to make sure they are functioning at optimal efficiency. The difference in temperature between the supply and return air vents indicate a well functioning HVAC system.

Thomasson also offered tips that anyone can do to assess their energy usage:

• Check weather stripping on your exterior doors, if you can see daylight then you don’t have enough weather stripping.
• When replacing appliances, consider buying one that is Energy Star rated.
• Switch to LED lightbulbs.
• Seal plumbing and electrical lines going between crawlspaces or attic, etc..
• Be mindful of the thermostat during the seasons. Set it as high as possible in the summertime to still be comfortable. In the winter, set it as low as possible to still be comfortable. Investing in a smart thermostat can save you money.
• Be aware of high-power-usage appliances like space heaters. Keep usage to a minimum if possible.
• Be mindful to close exterior doors completely.
• Turn off lights in rooms when you leave them.