GVEA video shows Interior members how to audit their own home energy use

Golden Valley Electric Association (GVEA) released a video Wednesday in which energy management specialist Dillon Gillespie walks members through a four-step home energy audit: the building envelope, appliances, heating-related electric loads and the co-op's MyGVEA usage data.

Interior homes face extreme cold, older houses, expensive heating systems and vehicle plug-ins, Gillespie said, "but you can perform your own home energy audit and know exactly where your electricity is going."

The building envelope is what separates a home's inside from the outside: insulation, air sealing and vapor barriers, windows and doors. Common weak points include drafty windows, worn door weatherstripping and light switches and outlets that cut through the vapor barrier. Uneven snow melt, ripples in roof snow or icicles point to poor roof insulation, he said.

The biggest appliance loads are space heaters and vehicles plugged in all night through the winter, which he said can cost $50 to $150 a month. He recommended a timer set to come on about three hours before the vehicle is needed.

The last step is checking MyGVEA, which shows a home's usage in 15-minute intervals so members can see whether changes helped.

GVEA is giving away free digital and analog timers at its Member Services lobbies, first come, first served, according to an Oct. 1 release.

A University of Alaska Fairbanks report estimated Fairbanks North Star Borough residents spent 10% of income on home heating and electricity in 2024. GVEA cut its fuel charge 12.6% in September, reversing about a third of a June increase, Alaska News reported Sept. 2.