As colder winter weather brings increases in heating bills, both Yampa Valley Electric Association co-op and energy provider Xcel Energy are offering tips to help consumers save money.

Energy savings experts encourage residents to dress in layers and lower the thermostat a few degrees, ideally to 68 degrees or lower. Residents can adjust programmable thermostats at home and at their businesses to automatically lower the temperature while people are away or asleep.

Programmable thermostats provide a key savings advantage for busy customers, and the YVEA Energy Hero program offers a $50 rebate per thermostat for the installation of line voltage smart thermostats that control electric cove, in floor or baseboard heaters. More information is available at YVEA.com/energy-efficiency/rebates.

During daylight hours, residents should open drapes and blinds to maximize heat from direct sunlight. To retain heat, people should keep window coverings closed when it is dark. Ceiling fans run in a clockwise direction, or the opposite direction than in summer, can push warm air down from the ceiling.

The YVEA Energy Hero program also warns customers about two energy uses that can greatly increase bills — heat tape and space heaters — which if used consistently could each add up to $100 on a monthly electric bill.

Energy Hero advisors recommend if outdoor roof heat tape must be used, timers should be installed so the tape only operates from 6 a.m.-6 p.m. when sunlight and warmer daytime temperatures can melt ice.

The expensive use of roof heat tape may be avoided by adding more insulation to a building’s attic, experts say.

“Sometimes the need for roof heat tape indicates heat loss that can be resolved by correcting insulation inadequacies,” according the Energy Hero program.

The program notes that many co-op members may falsely assume that all types of space heaters are an efficient way to heat a home.

“But in our cold climate, space heaters are high energy users and may end up increasing your electric bill instead,” according the Energy Hero program. “It’s usually less expensive to run the home’s central heating system than it is to heat a home with space heaters.”

Adding or keeping up with maintenance on weatherstripping around doors as well as caulking around windows also help stop cold drafts and thus lead to lower heating bills.

YVEA currently offers an Energy Assessment rebate of $250 for a building assessment performed by a certified energy assessor for residential or commercial properties within the co-op territory. That means a $500 energy assessment cost for homes up to 3,000 square feet is half price. The Yampa Valley Sustainability Council accepts requests for Energy Smart Colorado energy assessments online at YVSC.org/energy-assessments.

Conner Byrnes, YVSC energy and transportation manager, said thanks to USDA grant funding to partnering Energy Smart Colorado, a business energy assessment for a commercial building up to 10,000 square feet in size currently costs $375, compared to the normal $1,500 fee.

In the kitchen, residents can place lids on pots and pans when cooking to heat food faster and save energy. Opening the door of an oven can lower the cooking temperature by as much as 25 degrees, so looking through the window instead saves energy. More energy savings tips are available online at YVEA.com/energy-efficiency/residential-energy-tips, CO.my.xcelenergy.com/s/residential/tips and Energy.gov/energysaver/energy-saver.