How does cold weather affect your bill?

It takes more energy to heat your home when the temperature drops.

The more difference there is between the temperature outside and the thermostat setting inside, the harder your heating system will work and the more energy it will use, even if you don’t turn the thermostat higher.

This is especially true for homes that don’t have enough insulation, homes with single-paned or aluminum-framed windows, and homes with a lot of air leaks around windows, doors, and plumbing & electrical boxes.

Ways to minimize your energy use during a cold snap: 

  1. Turn your thermostat down a few degrees. Each degree you lower it can save up to 2% on your heating bill. Set it even lower when you are away or asleep but be sure to keep your house at least 55 degrees at all times to prevent pipes from freezing and to avoid moisture problems.
  2. Use portable space heaters wisely. If you spend most of your time in one or two rooms, using space heaters to keep those rooms warmer, and turning your furnace down to let the rest of the house stay cooler, can help save energy. This works best if you can close off the rooms you are using, and if you only use one or two space heaters. A typical space heater uses 1,500 watts of electricity and an electric furnace uses 10 times that much. Read more about using space heaters efficiently.
  3. Get rid of drafts. If you feel cold air coming in, warm air is escaping. Keep windows and doors closed, and use caulk or weather stripping to seal leaks around windows, doors, and plumbing penetrations.
  4. Cover your windows. Tight fitting, insulated window coverings can help minimize heat loss through the windows. Keep curtains and blinds closed unless the sun is shining directly on the glass.
  5. Check your furnace filters to see if they need to be cleaned or replaced. Dirty or clogged filters make your furnace work harder, increasing energy usage.

  6. Check your insulation levels. If your home is poorly insulated, adding insulation will lower your energy bills. If you heat with electricity, ask us about rebates for insulation upgrades.
  7. Upgrade your heating system. If you heat your home with electric resistant heat (electric furnace, baseboards, plug-in heaters, etc.), consider upgrading to a much more efficient heat pump or ductless heat pump.

See More Tips for Saving Energy in Winter

Discover free and low-cost ways to reduce your energy use and cut your bill during winter months.

Learn answers to some common questions about winter electric bills.

Two ways to compare temperatures: Average temperature & degree days

Average temperature:

If your energy use is higher than you expect, it might be weather-related. Comparing the average temperature during the month to the same month last year is one quick way to tell if the increase is weather-related.

You can calculate the average temperature for your specific billing period on Weather Underground.

Month Average
Temperature
Average Temp for
Same Month Last Year 
10-Year Average
for the Month
Feb 2024 44 39 42
Jan 2024 40 41 41
Dec 2023 44 37 40
Nov 2023 45 40 45
Oct 2023 55 57 54
Sep 2023 64 66 63
Aug 2023 73 74 71
Jul 2023 71 72 70
Jun 2023 64 63 64
May 2023 61 54 59
Apr 2023 49 47 52
Mar 2023 42 48 46
Feb 2023 39 41 41
Jan 2023 41 40 41
Dec 2022 37 40 39
Nov 2022 40 48 45
Oct 2022 57 52 54
Sep 2022 66 64 63
Aug 2022 74 71 71
Jul 2022 72 71 70
Jun 2022 63 69 64
May 2022 54 59 59
Apr 2022 47 54 52
Mar 2022 48 45 47
Feb 2022 41 41 42
Jan 2022 40 44 41

For example, the average temperature during March 2023 was 42 degrees, which is 6 degrees cooler than the average of 48 degrees in March 2022. This is likely to have resulted in higher energy usage for you in March 2023 than in March 2022.

Degree days:

For a more precise look at how temperature affects your bill, you should use degree days.

A Degree Day (DD) is the difference between the average temperature for a day and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. If the difference is positive (if it’s warmer than 65), it’s called a Cooling Degree Day. If the difference is negative (if it’s cooler than 65), it’s a Heating Degree Day.

In our area, we have more Heating Degree Days than Cooling Degree Days because the average temperature is below 65 more often than it is above 65.

Here’s an example: On March 1, 2023, the average temperature in Scappoose was 34 degrees. Taking 65 and subtracting 34, we get 31, so that day had 31 Heating Degree Days.

If you know the degree days in a month, you can compare it to other months to get a feel for how much warmer or colder it was. During months with a large number of heating degree days, you can expect your heating bills to be higher.

Month Average
Temperature
Heating
Degree Days
Cooling
Degree Days
Feb 2024 44 605 0
Jan 2024 40 786 0
Dec 2023 44 642 0
Nov 2023 45 611 0
Oct 2023 55 331 5
Sep 2023 64 92 50
Aug 2023 73 2 257
Jul 2023 71 7 186
Jun 2023 64 94 60
May 2023 61 169 54
Apr 2023 49 482 4
Mar 2023 42 711 0
Feb 2023 39 729 0
Jan 2023 41 740 0
Dec 2022 37 853 0
Nov 2022 40 737 0
Oct 2022 57 241 8
Sep 2022 66 40 64
Aug 2022 74 0 229
Jul 2022 72 2 234
Jun 2022 63 102 49
May 2022 54 337 0
Apr 2022 47 531 0
Mar 2022 48 530 0
Feb 2022 41 649 0
Jan 2022 40 774 0

We’re here to help

If your bill is unexpectedly high, give us a call at (503) 397-0590 to discuss it. We can review your energy usage patterns and talk with you about payment arrangements that you might qualify for. We can also help you figure out if a home weatherization evaluation would be a good step to take.