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Beat the heat of high bills through cost-effective tips
By Steve Schmidt
sschmidt@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
As Lawrence weather turns nasty, energy bills usually go up as people turn up their thermostats. Still there are some easy ways that people can cut down on costs.
Jim Ploger is the energy program manager at the Kansas Corporation Commission, the state utility regulatory agency. The KCC has a list of 12 simple tips to reduce heating bills, he said, but one of the biggest ways to save is to throw on a sweatshirt.
"People don't understand if you turn your thermostat down just a few degrees, it's going to make a big difference," Ploger said.
saucc.
He said that reducing your thermostat 6 to 8 degrees can cut a bill in half in most cases. The KCC recommends that people set their temperature at 68 degrees.
12 TIPS TO REDUCE HEATING BILLS
Setting the temperature
Contrary to the misconception that people should turn up their thermostats when they leave for an extended time such as winter break, Ploger advised to turn down the temperature to about 50 or 55 degrees.
12 TIPS TO REDUCE HEATING BILLS
For more information on each tip, visit
www.kec.state.ks.us/pi/simple_tips.htm
1. Reduce thermostat setting to 80 degrees.
2. Set back thermostat at night and when you leave home.
3. Install a programmable thermostat.
4. Change furnace filter monthly.
5. Have your furnace tuned up annually.
6. Let in sun shine in south windows.
7. Check and replace weather stripping on doors and windows.
8. Close storm windows and doors.
9. Operate kitchen and bath vents minimally.
10. Lower the thermostat set point on your water heater (to about
120 degrees).
11. Install a water heater blanket.
12. Reduce hot water use.
Source: Kansas Corporation Commission
back about 10 degrees when a home is unoccupied for any period of time can reduce bills by up to 15 percent, according to the KCC.
Students with water heaters should keep the water temperature at about 120 degrees, according to the list. Water heaters are one of the most costly items on an energy bill. Ploger said.
Ploger said to make sure that storm windows were shut as tight as possible as glass was one of the worst insulators. In
addition, any blinds or curtains should be closed to reduce heating costs while away from home.
Another way that people can cut down on furnace use is to use fans. Most fans have a reverse switch on them that will cause the fan to reverse its direction.
This will suck up all the cold air and blow all the warm air near the ceiling around the room, Ploger said.
- Edited by Ehren Meditz
BIKE: Founders want to continue low-use program
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1A
"When we can't take the bikes in, we have to leave it to the members to fill up flat tires," Johnson said.
Antonio Querasian, Rio Dio Janeiro, Brazil, sophomore, said flat tires were one of the few problems he'd encountered as a yellow bike member.
Querasian rides a yellow bike to and from class every day. He said that he had been pleased with his yellow bike experience.
"It's a very,very good system," Querasian said. "I think it would be good to have more bikes on campus."
Seth Weisbrook, Columbia Mo., sophomore, is another daily
user of the yellow bike system.
Weisbrook, who signed up as one of the original participants this spring, said that flat tires were not a big problem and that the system was operated effectively.
"I can't really think of any way to make it run better." Weisbrook said. "It's rare not to be able to find a bike when I need one."
Johnson is optimistic about
the future of the program. His group sponsored an interest survey that generated 70 to 80 responses earlier this semester. Johnson plans to e-mail those students in the spring and encourage them to promote the program to the senate.
"We want to help them take over the program," Johnson said.
Ultimately, Johnson and his YELLOW counterparts would like to see the yellow bike program solidified and controlled by Senate.
"The hope is to expand it and institutionalize it," Johnson said. "We just don't have time to run it Student Senate can do it."
-Edited by Dave Nobles
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KU INDEPENDENT STUDY
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Call 864-KUCE (5823)
Or visit the Continuing
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graduate and undergraduate courses are available
Take a KU Independent Study course to help stay on track to your degree. To view the Independent Study catalog, go to www.kuce.org/isc.Consult with your academic adviser before enrolling.
Courses closed on campus for spring 2004 that are available through Independent Study
AMS 330 American Society
BIOL 305 Princ of Human Physiol
CLSX 148 Greek & Roman Mythol
ENGL 101 Composition
ENGL 102 Comp & Literature
ENGL 203 Topics Read & Writ: Sports
ENGL 209 Intro to Fiction
ENGL 210 Intro to Poetry
ENGL 320 American Lit I
ENGL 322 American Lit II
ENGL 325 Recent Pop Literature
ENGL 332 Shakespeare
ENGL 351 Fiction Writing I
ENGL 362 Technical Writing
ENGL 466 Lit for Children
FREN 110 Elementary French I
FREN 120 Elementary French II
GERM 108 Elementary German II
HA 100 Intro to Art History
HA 300 Intro to Art History
HDFL 160 Intro to Child Behvr & Dev
HIST 100 Intro to World History
HIST 128 Hist of US through Civil War
HIST 129 Hist of US after Civil War
HSES 260 Personal & Comm Health
HSES 330 Principle of Health & Nutri
HSES 482 Drugs in Society
HWC 204 Western Civ I
HWC 205 Western Civ II
LAA 100 Latin Amer Culture & Society
LAT 200 Vergil's Aeneid
MATH 002 Intermediate Math
MATH 101 Algebra
MATH 105 Intro to Topics in Math
MATH 115 Calculus I
MATH 116 Calculus II
MATH 365 Elementary Statistics
PHIL 140 Intro to Philosophy
PHIL 148 Reason & Argument
PHIL 160 Intro to Ethics
PRE 210 Career and Life Planning
PSYC 104 General Psychology
PSYC 300 Stats in Psych Research
PSYC 333 Child Psychology
PSYC 360 Social Psychology
PSYC 370 Brain & Behavior
PSYC 566 Psychology & the Law
PSYC 626 Psychology of Adolescence
REL 107 Living Religions of the West
REL 124 Understanding the Bible
SOC 104 Elements of Sociology
SOC 130 Comparative Societies
SOC 160 Social Problems & Amer Values
SOC 220 Sociology of Families
SOC 330 American Society
SOC 352 Sociology of Sex Roles
SOC 523 Soc of Aging & Life Course
SPAN 100 Span Reading Course
SPAN 104 Elementary Span I
SPAN 108 Elementary Span II
SPED 718 Managing Behrv Problems
T&L 351 Teach Read in Content Areas
T&L 450 Foundations of Education
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