Electric heating, sometimes called electric resistance heating, converts nearly 100 percent of the energy in electricity to heat. However, because of the generation and transmission losses associated with electricity, electric heat is often more expensive than heat produced with combustion appliances, such as natural gas, propane and oil furnaces.
 

Electric heat can be supplied by centralized forced-air furnaces or by zonal heaters in each room, both of which can be composed of a variety of heater types. But no matter which electric heating system you use, there are steps you can take to reduce your energy consumption. Here are some strategies to help you get started:

• Install automatic setback thermostats. Automatic setback thermostats combine a thermostat with a clock for automatic heat control. They are convenient and very effective at saving energy and can be used to control all types of electric heat. Installing lock boxes on these thermostats prevents unauthorized changes to the temperature setpoints. Savings from using a programmable thermostat can be impressive. It’s important to control heating to match occupancy of the facility/building. During unoccupied periods, the heating temperature can be reduced by 10° F to 15° F. Recent studies show that proper usage of a programmable thermostat can cut heating costs for a business by approximately 25 percent.
   
• Utilize zoned heating. Zone heating cuts costs by only heating occupied spaces and allowing unoccupied sections to remain cooler. The amount of savings you  achieve depends on how the electric zone heaters are combined with your centralized heating system. A typical zone heating strategy involves controlling the centralized heating system with an automatic setback thermostat. When full heating is needed, the automatic setback thermostat turns on the central heating system to provide a comfortable temperature throughout the building. During unoccupied times, it lowers building temperatures to a lower temperature range, for example between 50° F and 60° F. During setback times, zone heaters can provide additional room heat, when needed.
   
• Replace or clean furnace filters regularly in forced-air systems. It is a good idea to replace or clean filters monthly during the heating season. Your furnace cannot run as efficiently if the filters, blowers and heating coils are dirty. Clogged filters reduce airflow through the heating system, forcing the unit to work harder. Plus, it is much easier to change or clean filters than it is to clean blowers, heating coils and ductwork. Replacing furnace filters will make your furnace more efficient, keeping your building more comfortable and saving you money. Most furnace filters are composed of fiberglass wool framed in cardboard, air-permeable foam rubber or fibrous plastic. Typically they are disposable and easily replaced. Filters are usually positioned near the blower. Read your furnace’s instruction manual for more information. 
   
• Install a controlled mechanical heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system if you use zonal electric heating systems (baseboard or radiant heat) and have very low air-leakage rates. Zone-heated buildings with fairly airtight building shells can have moisture and air pollution problems because of very low air leakage combined with the lack of a ventilation system. HRV systems are the preferred way to provide good indoor air quality for such tight buildings. Mechanical ventilation systems can remove air pollution and moisture and provide overall better air quality while saving energy. This type of ventilation system can consist of exhaust fans, a central exhaust air system, an air-to-air heat exchanger with its own ducts, or an outdoor-air inlet into an electric furnace or heat pump. 
   
• Maximize insulation in the building envelope, using the recommended insulation R-values for the different envelope components (walls, roof, floors, etc.) for your location. Northern Illinois requirements are more stringent than those for the southern part of the state. For more details on this topic, see current Illinois building energy code requirements for commercial buildings as listed in the Illinois Energy Conservation Code. 
   
• Install quality windows. Instead of R-value, windows are usually rated by their heat transfer coefficient, or U-value. The lower the U-value, the better the resistance to heat loss. While energy-efficient windows are important in any building, those heated by electric resistance heat should have windows with U-values of less than 0.40. Advanced window designs incorporate multiple glazing layers, heat-reflective coatings, or gas fillings to reach U-values less than 0.25. 
   
• Air-seal the building envelope. To reduce your heating costs, exterior walls— part of the building “envelope”—need to be as airtight as possible yet still provide healthy indoor air. Methods to achieve an airtight building include air-sealing measures such as wrapping the building shell with an air infiltration barrier and installing gaskets and sealants to thoroughly seal joints and penetrations in the building shell. However, these steps are not foolproof because complicated floor plans, irregular roof lines, protruding windows, cathedral ceilings, fireplaces, or recessed light fixtures can make air sealing during construction difficult, if not impossible. If these areas are not well sealed, heating costs can be larger due to excessive air leakage.
   
• Insulate and seal heating ducts. Heat can be lost through leaky or uninsulated ducts located in unconditioned spaces. Joints between sections of ducts, between ducts and registers, and between ducts and the furnace can lose as much as 30 percent of the air being moved by the blower. Leaking ductwork can create positive and negative room pressures that often increase air leakage through floors, exterior walls, and ceilings. Reducing or eliminating air leaks will make your building more energy efficient and comfortable. New ducts need to be sealed with commercial duct mastic as they are assembled. Existing duct systems can be leak-tested and sealed by an experienced professional. Once leaks are sealed, if the ducts are located in an unconditioned space, they should be insulated to an R-value specified by the Illinois Energy Conservation Code.
   
• Install a high-efficiency, ENERGY STAR^® furnace. In determining an acceptable cost limit, take into account the achievable energy savings over the life of the equipment. Select energy equipment that has multiple levels of capacity with good part-load efficiency because equipment will usually run at less than maximum load.