September 2022 EnergyWiseSM Tip: In the Dark on Lighting Terms?

September 20, 2022

By: NPPD Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer



Remember going to the store in the “good old days” to purchase a pack of light bulbs? Once in the bulb section, may have noticed several brands, but one 60-watt bulb was likely the same as the next. You knew how bright it would be, how its color (warm white) would appear and how long it would likely last (750 to 1,000 hours of use). By multiplying its rated wattage by the hours used and dividing by 1,000, it was easy to determine the kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity it used.

 These days, the lighting section of hardware and home improvement stores are filled with a myriad of light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs (lamps). To further complicate matters, various lamps have different color appearances, input wattages and rated lifetimes. What’s more, not all LEDs are dimmable and those that are, may not work on a traditional dimmer switch!

How are you supposed to decide what to buy? Fortunately, since 2012, the Federal Trade Commission has required every manufacturer of general-purpose lamps to display a “Lighting Facts” label on their packaging. The label’s five sections explained below can help assure you make the right selection.

Brightness

While the actual amount of light a lamp produces is measured in lumens, the amount of light provided by a bulb used to be directly related to its wattage. One 60-watt incandescent bulb produced 800 lumens, as much as the next brand’s bulb. One hundred-watt bulbs were twice as bright, producing 1,600 lumens.

As energy efficient compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) and LED lamps became available, manufacturers started labeling their products with an incandescent equivalent wattage to help customers identify the expected light output. In reality, the actual wattage of LED lamps is 75% to 85% less than its “watts equivalent” rating.

Because lumens produced by LED products can vary significantly, labeling requirements provided the following ranges of output that are considered equivalent to the fixed values of traditional bulbs.


40-watts equivalent = 350 – 749 lumens

60-watts equivalent = 750 – 1,049 lumens

75-watts equivalent = 1,050 – 1,489 lumens

100-watts equivalent = 1,490 – 2,600 lumens


When purchasing, assure the lumen output of new LEDs matches the output of others in the same light fixture to avoid the appearance of brighter and dimmer lamps.

Estimated Yearly Energy Cost

This section identifies the annual energy cost if the LED lamp is operated for three hours everyday for 365 days a year and the consumer pays an average price of 11.0¢ per kWh for electricity. Incidentally, the United States Energy Information Administration identifies Nebraska’s average residential cost of electricity at 11.1¢ per kWh.

Life

The rated life reflected on the Lighting Facts label shows how many years the lamp should last when operated every day of the year for three hours. If operated less than three hours, consumers can expect it to last longer. The converse is also true.

Unlike incandescent bulbs that “burn out,” LEDs tend to lose light output as they are used. Within the lighting industry, LED products are rated by the hours of operation until the lamp drops to 70% of its original output. To determine the number of rated hours from the label, multiply the label’s number of years by 1,095. For example, if the label identifies a life of 13.7 years, the LED is rated at 15,000 hours of operation.

Light Appearance

Throughout history as fluorescent lighting became commonplace, people referred to the appearance of white light as “warm white” and “cool white”. As more options regarding appearance became available, the lamp’s correlated color temperature (CCT), expressed in Kelvin (K) units (without the word “degrees”) was used to describe this attribute.

Today, consumer lighting products are rated from 2200K to 6500K. Sliding up the scale, color appearance starts at a warm, yellow-white light and progresses to a cool, bluish/purplish white. The scale on the Lighting Facts label indicates where on the scale a particular lamp will appear.

Energy Used

Not to be confused with the term “watts equivalent” that may also appear on the package, this value is the actual electrical power required to operate an LED or other lamp. When multiplying this wattage by the number of hours the lamp is operated, dividing by 1,000, then multiplying by the average cost per kWh of electricity, an accurate estimated cost of operation can be determined. Note the efficiency or efficacy of an LED that produces a specific amount of lumens is determined by how many watts are required to achieve that level of brightness. When dividing the rated lumens by the energy (watts) used, energy efficiency is improved as lumens produced per watt increases.

Though not identified on the Lighting Facts label, another consideration you’ll want to remember while shopping is that not all LED lamps can be dimmed. Packaging should indicate whether a particular lamp has this capability. In addition, some existing dimmer switches require a minimum power of 50 watts connected to properly operate. Because LEDs tend to have lower wattages than incandescent bulbs, the electric circuit will not reach the minimum power required. Consequently, LEDs may start to flicker, make buzzing noises or overheat. If so, replacing the switch with a dimmer designed for use with LEDs may be necessary.

Understanding the Lighting Facts label is just the beginning of how you can reduce your lighting costs. In partnership with Nebraska Public Power District, Southwest Public Power District can help identify other ways to gain the most value from your energy costs. For more energy-saving ideas for your home, business, or farming operation, contact them or visit www.nppd.com

WARM WEATHER BRINGS OUT SCAMMERS

April 30, 2025
Southwest Public Power District will never send anyone to your house to ask you if you need work done. And when someone does come for a legitimate reason, you’ll see a uniform, a truck with our logo on it and valid identification. Springtime is scam season. Don’t be surprised if you get telephone calls, uninvited visitors looking for work and loads of door hangers offering landscaping, roofing, painting and home-repair services. Your best bet: Say no to all of them. If you need work done around your house, visit the website of the state agency responsible for licensing contractors or join a contractor referral network that recommends only contractors who are licensed, insured, bonded and experienced. A few other tips: •Be wary of contractors with out-of-state license plates or detachable, magnetic company signs on their trucks. These could be “travelers,” who follow the warm weather from state to state and hire themselves out as home-improvement contractors. They’re almost always unlicensed in your state, and if you discover a problem with their work later, they’ll be long gone. •Do not pay in cash, and do not pay up front. Instead, work out a payment schedule that allows you to pay in increments as the work is completed. •Get bids from three reputable companies before you start. If you get one offer that’s way lower than the other two, something is probably amiss. •Don’t fall for these two lines: “I just finished a job at your neighbor’s house and I’ll give you a good price if you hire me today because I’m already in the neighborhood” or “I have leftover materials from a job I just did and I’ll sell/install them here for a deep discount because I don’t need them.” Hiring contractors can be expensive. Don’t waste your money on one who’s not licensed and legitimate.

DRYER NEEDS CLEANING BEYOND LINT TRAP

April 24, 2025
You probably peel the lint out of your clothes dryer’s lint trap after every load of laundry. But that’s not enough to keep the appliance from posing a fire hazard for your home. Add a few more maintenance checks to your laundry-day routine, including: •Notice how long it takes the dryer to dry your clothes. If they’re still damp at the end of a typical drying cycle, or if it’s starting to take longer to dry clothes, your lint screen or exhaust duct is probably blocked. •Clean the dryer vent and exhaust duct at least once a year. The duct is the coil that sends the hot dryer air to the outdoors. The vent is the hole where the hot air leaves the house. Both can get clogged with lint and overheat, send dirty, moist air back into your home, or even catch on fire. You might have to disconnect the exhaust duct from the dryer and from the vent to remove a blockage. •Sweep behind your dryer regularly. Lint can accumulate there and also underneath. Move the dryer and clean the back of it. This might be a job for a service technician rather doing it yourself. •If your exhaust duct is plastic or foil, replace it with a rigid or corrugated, semi-rigid metal duct. Plastic and foil are too flexible and trap lint easily. They’re also easier to crush, which will prevent air from flowing through to the vent. •Avoid throwing gasoline, oil or chemical-soiled clothes and towels into the dryer. Instead, wash them several times and line dry them. If you have to use the dryer for them, choose the lowest setting, and remove them the minute the cycle is finished. Even washed and dried clothes that have come into contact with volatile chemicals can ignite. Best bet: Consider the clothes ruined and safely dispose of them.

April 2025 EnergyWiseSM Tip: Robotic Mowers

April 16, 2025
By: NPPD Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer You know it’s springtime when you hear certain sounds in the fresh morning air: the gentle rumble of an approaching thunderstorm, the soft buzzing of bees pollinating flowers, the singing of songbirds announcing their return . . . and that overzealous neighbor who always starts mowing before 7 a.m. on Sundays! You know what that neighbor needs? A robotic mower. Most operate within the range of 55 to 60 decibels (dB). That’s the average level of a conversation between two people speaking in a soft to normal voice. Your neighbor’s gas-powered mower, like others, probably ranges between 90 to 100 dB. That’s the same level of noise produced by hairdryers, blenders and motorcycles. You could also tell your neighbor about the other great advantages robotic mowers have, including: Time savings Whether you’re on vacation or doing projects around the house, robotic mowers operate autonomously, allowing you to set a schedule and forget about mowing. When the mower’s battery is nearly depleted, the mower heads to its station for recharging, which usually takes one to three hours. Then it heads back to keep mowing where it left off. Less maintenance The blades on a robotic mower should be replaced every two to three months. Other than that, occasionally clean the undercarriage, then check and lubricate moving parts, and you should be set. Compare that to the hassle of removing and sharpening blades and changing oil when relying on a gas-powered mower. Healthier lawn Because robotic mowers are designed to mow more frequently, clippings are smaller and decompose more quickly. Compared to mowing once or twice a week with a gas-powered mower, the robotic mower’s reduced length of cut creates less stress to grass and helps to promote a healthier, denser lawn. Efficiency and energy cost savings Consider the seasonal energy use and cost for mowing the average Nebraska lawn, which is reported to be 13,921 square feet according to Today's Homeowner, the #1 syndicated home improvement TV show in the U.S. Over the course of a seven-month mowing season, a randomly selected robotic mower clips the lawn every other day and consumes almost 62 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity. At last mowing season’s average cost of 11.56¢ per kWh in Nebraska, the total is about $7.14. In comparison, this size of lawn could be trimmed with a 21-inch, gas-powered mulching push mower every third day. By the end of the same seven-month mowing season, the push mower will have used 35½ gallons of gasoline and required 71 hours of someone’s time to push it. If gas were $3 per gallon, that comes to $106.50. You can determine what 71 hours of free time is worth. Safety Cutting on slopes with push or riding mowers always presents a safety concern. Robotic mowers can typically mow slopes of 20-35 degrees, with some tackling even steeper grades. More advanced models have sensors that can detect obstacles and maneuver around them or even automatically stop the blades when the mower is lifted. With a little luck, your neighbor’s early morning lawncare routine will never disrupt your morning tranquility again. Who knows? By now, maybe you’re interested in a robotic mower. To find additional information about incentives for purchasing a robotic mower or other energy-saving opportunities, contact Southwest Public Power District or visit www.energywisenebraska.com

March 2025 EnergyWise SM Tip: Smart Homes

March 19, 2025
By: Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer

February 2025 EnergyWise SM Tip: Irrigation Moisture Sensors

February 24, 2025
By: Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer

January 2025 EnergyWiseSM Tip: Mitigating Radon

January 8, 2025
By: NPPD Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer As a Cornhusker, we love being top-ranked in the nation. However, there’s top ranking we need to be very concerned about: As per the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) 2023 report, Nebraska ranks third in the country for radon prevalence, with about 59% of the more than 8,500 radon tests in the state exceeding the EPA's action level of 4.0 picocuries per liter (pCi/L). Nebraska’s average radon level was 6.0 pCi/L. After smoking, radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and is responsible for an estimated 21,000 deaths annually. What is radon? It is an element and naturally occurring radioactive gas that forms when uranium, thorium, or radium breaks down in soil, rocks and water. Since the air pressure inside is usually lower than pressure in the soil around our homes, offices, schools and other buildings, it enters through cracks in floors, walls and construction joints, as well as through gaps around service pipes, electrical wires and sump pits. Your home traps radon inside, where it can build up. Radon levels are usually highest in the basement or crawl space. Levels tend to be higher in the winter than in the summer. They can also spike during heavy wind, rain, or snowy weather. It’s easy to test your home’s radon levels. You can hire a professional tester or do it yourself with a kit you buy at a hardware store or online. Start by contacting the Nebraska Radon Program at (402) 471-0594 or visit www.dhhs.ne.gov/radon. If radon levels in your home are high, you can take steps to lower them. The most common and effective method is to have an active vent pipe system installed, which pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside. A small but efficient fan operates continuously to reduce radon levels 50 to 99%. Fortunately, Nebraska’s ranks fifth in the nation for lowest residential electric rates (12.13¢ per kilowatt-hour). That means the small fan costs less than $3 per month to operate. It’s a small price for safety and well-being! If you have an active system, you should check on a regular basis to make sure the system is working correctly. Most active systems have a manometer, which confirms proper operation. While fans may last for five years or more — manufacturer warranties tend not to exceed five years. At some point, they will require repair or replacement. The EPA has designated January as National Radon Action Month, a time to raise awareness about radon and promote testing and mitigation. If you’d like more information about radon and what can be done to mitigate it, check out this EPA guidance, “A consumer’s guide to Radon Reduction”. In partnership with Nebraska Public Power District, Southwest Public Power District is dedicated to providing the electricity needed to maintain your home or business safely, effectively and efficiently. To identify additional ways you can become “EnergyWise”, contact Southwest Public Power District or visit www.energywisenebraska.com.

Holiday Hours

December 26, 2024
Southwest Public Power District will be closed Wednesday, January 1st, 2025, in observance of New Year’s Day. Normal business hours will resume Thursday, January 2nd, 2025. If you need assistance, please call (308)285-3295 to speak with an on-call representative.

Holiday Hours

December 18, 2024
Southwest Public Power District will be closed Wednesday, December 25th, in observance of Christmas. Normal business hours will resume Thursday, December 26th. If you need assistance, please call (308)285-3295 to speak with an on-call representative.

December 2024 EnergyWiseSM Tip: Keep Jack Frost Out

December 13, 2024
By: NPPD Energy Efficiency Program Manager Cory Fuehrer If you’ve ever lived through a few Nebraska winters in an old house with single-pane windows, you’ve likely observed the exquisite and ornate artwork by “Jack Frost”. Painted overnight, this left-behind artistry of frosty, fern-like patterns seemed to magically appear on the interior side of windows on the coldest of winter mornings. Window frost has become far less prevalent in current times due to the advancement of double-glazing. These designs may be pretty, but they’re not something you should be happy to see! Rather, it’s a warning that your home is literally losing heat right out the window. While window replacement may be the best solution in the long run, it’s usually the most expensive. If new windows aren’t in the budget, here are a few suggestions that come with a lower price tag: Storm windows If you’re still in a home that only has single-pane windows, give strong consideration to installing storm windows. This will cut the transfer of heat through your single panes in half. While acrylic or plexiglass units may cost as little as $80 per window, expect to pay $125 to $415 per replacement, plus $30 to $80 per hour for professional installation. Window insulation kits If storm windows are still outside of your budget or if your double-pane windows seem drafty on cold, windy days, install window insulation kits. Mounted on the interior or exterior, per window costs start around $6 and can usually be self-installed. Though you won’t be able to open your window until it’s removed, it effectively seals the window and stops air leaks. Insulated Shades According to the U.S. Department of Energy, insulated cellular shades are typically considered to have the highest R-values of all window coverings. The air pockets in the honeycomb cross-sections act as insulators, increasing the R-value and reducing the conduction of heat through the window. During the heating season, tightly installed cellular shades can reduce heat loss through windows by 40% or more. While high-end models may cost as much as $250 per window, less-expensive models that are just as efficient start around $25. Caulking/sealing Collectively, air leaks from and around windows can contribute up to 30% of a home's heating needs. Obviously, sealing these leaks provides huge energy savings! Homeowners generally pay about $50 per average-size, double-hung window to be professionally caulked. However, many find this project easy enough to do themselves. In that case, the average window will require a little less than a tube of silicone-based caulk at a cost starting around $9. Especially in older homes, the gaps between the window frame and window cavity were not properly sealed during installation. While “retro sealing” requires removal of the interior trim, low expansion foam does not distort or bow window and door frames when applied properly and provides an exceptional seal. Costs range from $1.25 to $4 per linear foot when hiring a professional, while a Do-It-Yourself project could cost as little as $0.05 to $0.20 per linear foot. Locks and latches Here’s the simplest, least expensive way to increase window efficiency: use the sash locks or latches. For double-hung and sliding windows, this tightens the sashes together. With casement windows, the sash is tightened into the frame. Either way, air leakage is reduced or eliminated. If your windows don’t have sash locks, most hardware stores offer them at prices starting around $15. Southwest Public Power District, in partnership with Nebraska Public Power District, wants to help you keep warm this winter season as effectively and efficiently as possible. To find additional ways to save energy every day, contact Southwest Public Power District or visit www.energywisenebraska.com.

Electric fireplaces heat up

December 11, 2024
If you’ve always wanted a fireplace but never needed the hassle, it could be time to buy an electric version. Electric fireplaces can help heat a room and add a bit of ambience. And they look much nicer than a simple space heater. Because electric fireplaces require only floor space and a power outlet, they’re a great option for apartments or condos. If you’re in the mood for faux fire, consider: • If you move frequently, an electric fireplace could be a good investment. Most are portable and are relatively easy to move. • The look of the “flames” in an electric fireplace is much more natural than it used to be. Still, don’t expect too much. The “fire” is created by special light bulbs that simulate flickering flames, but even fireplace sales reps say there’s no comparison with the real deal. • That said, manufacturers have come up with some artful designs using light, glass, rocks and other elements. Even if the fire doesn’t look authentic, the fireplace is a conversation starter and can be mesmerizing.
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