GUIDE WINTER TAKE CHARGE FARMERS EC 2019 EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO STAY WARM EFFICIENTLY WHILE AVOIDING HIGH WINTER BILLS. YOU RE IN POWER.

Transcription

1 JANUARY 2019 FARMERS EC 2019 TAKE CHARGE WINTER GUIDE EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO STAY WARM EFFICIENTLY WHILE AVOIDING HIGH WINTER BILLS. COVER INSIDE We have 4 actions that are guaranteed to save you money this winter, and they won't cost a dime. Learn and gain insight into the temperature gap issue along with payment options with alternate billing plans.

2 1. Thermostat settings DAY: The most energy-efficient thermostat settings during winter days : NIGHT: The most energy-efficient thermostat settings during winter nights : TIP: PROGRAMMABLE THERMOSTATS According to The U.S. Department of Energy, using a programmable thermostat can save you an average of at least 10% a year on heating and cooling costs. You can easily achieve these savings by turning your thermostat back 7 to 10 F from its normal setting for 8 hours a day. 68 F 65 F Selecting the right thermostat and programming it according to your scheduling needs is an important factor to saving money on your utility bill. Be sure to choose one that allows you to set it and forget it, an approach the Energy Department advocates to get the most savings. Run separate thermostat setting programs for winter and summer respectively. Seven-day programming thermostats provide the most options and are best for individuals or families with erratic schedules. 2. Limit space heaters TIP: ALTERNATE HEATING IDEAS There are alternatives you can use to manage the temperature in your home during the winter. First adjust your ceiling fans to run at a low speed in a clockwise direction. Also, wear more layers of clothing and add an extra blanket at night. And add thick curtains to cold windows. GOOD USES Use space heaters to supplement inadequate heating in a small space for a small amount of time, or in place of running your primary heating system in moderation. BAD USE Using a space heater at night while you are sleeping is dangerous. Also do not run a space heater for long periods of time with or without the additional use of your central heating system. Electric space heaters can increase your winter heating bills dramatically. They were never designed to be long-term dedicated heating solutions, but instead intended for shorter durations. Running an electric space heater along with your central electric heating system (for longer periods of time) creates a double whammy on your energy bill. It would cost $2.82 a day to use one for 16 hours a day, that s about $85/month PER HEATER. Add that on top of the cost of your primary central electric heating system, and you can have an extra $160 or more on the heating portion of your electric bill alone.

3 3. Gaps and Drafts INSIDE Seal cracks around your windows and door casings. Make sure windows shut tight and lock them. Adjust door thresholds and check to make sure the weatherstripping is in good condition. OUTSIDE Check around all pipes and electrical outlets on exterior walls. For small gaps use caulk and for large gaps use foam sealant. Be sure to check that your dryer vent is closing properly. Air leaks, cracks, and gaps in your home and air ducts cause an unnecessary increase in your energy bill because they force your HVAC system to work even harder. And they can cause you to pay to heat or cool areas of your home that don t need it, or worse, outside your home. Inspect your doors, windows, exterior walls, and roof for cracks, gaps, and drafts. Proper insulation is also important to maintain an energy efficient home. All exterior walls and floors should be fully insulated and your attic should have a minimum of inches of insulation. TIP: GET $100 FOR BEING ENERGY EFFICIENT. Seal cracks and gaps in and around your doors, windows, exterior walls, and roof with our $100 rebate on sealant and weatherstripping. RULES: We will accept only one weatherstripping/ sealant rebate request per year. Purchase must be made in 2019 to qualify. Check FarmersElectric.coop for more details and more rebates. 4. Window Strategies DAY Take advantage of heat from the sun by opening curtains on your south-facing windows during the day. This allows sunlight to naturally heat your home and will reduce your energy bill. NIGHT Choose heavy curtains and keep them closed in the evening during winter months. This will effectively reduce the amount of chill you may feel from cold air getting in. Heat gain and loss through windows are responsible for 25% 30% of residential heating and cooling energy use. Energy-efficient windows are an important consideration for both new and existing homes, but upgrading them can be costly. As an alternative, check all your windows for air leaks and make sure that caulk and weatherstripping have been applied properly. Also, applying a clear plastic film to your windows can help retain heat during the winter. TIP: DOLLAR BILL TEST One very easy air-leak detection method is the Dollar Bill Test. To perform it, shut a door or window on a dollar bill. If you can pull the dollar bill out without it dragging, that means you are losing heat and therefore losing energy.

4 MEMBER HUB SmartHub provides power beyond payments. More than just a payment portal, SmartHub helps you monitor and manage your energy usage securely, from anywhere. SmartHub allows you to get a detailed look at past and current usage, review two bill histories sideby-side for usage comparison, and you can even review monthly averages while viewing daily usage patterns along with the days of the billing period. It s another way Farmers EC makes sure you re in power with interactive ways to manage your energy usage and your account. TAKE CHARGE. SIGN UP FOR SMARTHUB AT: FarmersElectric.coop.

5 CO-OP NEWS FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE Smoothing out winter bills. by MARK STUBBS General Manager As we trudge through what can be the coldest and dreariest part of winter, we at Farmers Electric Cooperative want to remind our members that the season s chilly temperatures and shortened days lead to increased electricity usage at home, which can cause uncomfortable spikes in electric bills. However, there are ways you can soften the blow and smooth out those upcoming bills. Start by visiting FarmersElectric.coop and checking out our list of energy saving tips. Our energy tips for heating and cooling, lighting, and water heating can also be downloaded as a PDF. There are lots of great tips. For example, did you know that meals made in a slow cooker or pressure cooker typically use less energy than those cooked in a conventional oven. Plus, hearty stews and braised dishes make the perfect comforting accompaniments to a cold winter s night. Another money-saving tip is to unplug chargers that aren t charging anything. Once your cellphone, tablet or other device is fully charged, unplug the charger. Otherwise, it still draws a small but measurable amount of power that adds to your bill at no benefit to you or your electronics. Here s another way to soften the blow of winter energy bills. If you don t use a smart thermostat to control your home s heating and air conditioning system, install one. If that s not practical, make a habit of decreasing the temperature in your home by around 10 degrees before leaving for work in the morning and before turning in for the night. When the decrease in energy used for heating your home is sustained for eight hours, the savings really add up. Maybe the best way to avoid higher-than-normal energy bills is to monitor usage through SmartHub, our online account management tool, and enroll in our Budget Billing program. We know that no one likes surprises especially when it affects your household budget. That s why we offer Budget Billing as a payment option to our members. It s a way to plan for the months with greater usage and average those costs throughout the year. Ready to sign up? Contact our Member Care team at and keep your electric bill consistent this winter even when the weather isn t. TAKE CHARGE. FIND MORE MONEY SAVING ENERGY TIPS AND WINTERIZING REBATES AT: FarmersElectric.coop MONEY SAVING ENERGY TIPS With this long list of ideas, you re sure to find plenty of ways to save energy around your house. You ll see quick, simple changes to start, plus larger investments that can make a big difference in the long term. HEATING & COOLING Reduce your energy usage with efficient home heating and cooling ideas and practices. LIGHTING Let us shine a light on how simple lifestyle habits and proper LED bulbs can save you money. WATER HEATING Learn how to take charge of your water heating system it could be costing you more than you think. TAKE CHARGE. GET YOUR ENERGY TIPS PDF AT: FarmersElectric.coop

6 CO-OP NEWS FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE Reduce the temperature gap with your thermostat and save. As seasons come and go, you keep your home within a fairly consistent internal temperature range (65-75 degrees). That means, during peak conditions, your heating and cooling systems have to work harder due to the temperature gap between the exterior and interior of your home and it shows up on your bill. Look at it this way. You have your home s thermostat set at 70 F. In summer, when the exterior temperature reaches 100 F, you have a 30 gap between inside and outside temperatures. This gap becomes smaller at night when temperatures come back down, so your AC unit doesn t have to work as hard to overcome the difference. Winter is a different story. The same thermostat setting of 70 F may have a daytime gap of about 20 if the outside temperature is in the 50s. But when the sun sets, temperatures drop and the gap increases. And if temperatures dip into the 20s, your heating system is working against a 50 difference. That temperature gap would be equivalent to a 120 F summer day. Plus the nights are longer, so you are inside using more interior lighting. And the energy usage list keeps growing. Even in Texas, homes consume a lot of energy in the winter. WINTER TEMPERATURE GAP & THERMOSTAT SETTINGS You can not change the outside temperature, but you can change the temperature inside your home. By reducing the temperature gap between the outside and inside your home, you can significantly lower you winter heating bills. 28 GAP GAP 20 Inefficient Thermostat When you choose a high comfort temperature you increase the temperature gap, making your home heating system work harder and more often. Sometimes, a heating system may constantly run because it can never achieve the desired comfort level. This can cause very high energy bills. A ten degree drop in your thermostat can make a big difference. 18 GAP GAP 20 Proper Thermostat A proper setting of 68 for day and 65 for night will dramatically help reduce your heating systems work load. By wearing warmer clothes, using extra blankets, and using curtains on windows, you can still create a comfort level you can enjoy with lower energy bills.

7 Alternate Billing Plans More than one way to pay for and manage your energy. If you are finding a traditional month-to-month bill plan difficult to work into monthly budget, Farmers EC has two alternate bill plans to help members with high seasonal energy bills. BUDGET PLAN: Averaging Month-to-Month If you hate surprises or just want a plan that fits with a stable, predictable budget, then our Budget Plan is a great fit. Your monthly payment is an average of the past 11 months plus your current month s bill. That average determines the amount you ll be billed each month. You ll avoid extreme swings during the hottest days of summer and the coldest of winter. The Budget Plan lets you pay using SmartHub, bank draft, mail, or phone, and you can capitalize on the full range of hassle-free and energy-saving services from Farmers EC. ODDS & ENDS EVENT Rains County Eagle Fest 2019 SAT, JAN 19, AM-5PM Learn more at: eaglefest.ticketleap.com The highlight of the festival is the bus and barge tours to the lake to see the bald eagles in their natural habitat. The festival venue includes bird and animal exhibits and programs, live entertainment and music, as well as educational speakers. It's fun for the whole family for a great cause. $300 $200 $100 $0 OCT NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC TRADITIONAL PLAN Month-to-Month Usage BUDGET PLAN Averaging Month-to Month Usage 2019 SCHOLARSHIPS We are currently accepting applications for the 2019 Academic Year. Each year, Farmers EC awards $1,000 scholarships to outstanding high school seniors. The scholarships can be applied toward tuition, housing, meal plans, and/or books at a college, university, or technical school of the student s choice. PROACTIVE PLAN: Pay-as-you-go Take charge of your power supply with a proactive, prepaid PowerUP account from Farmers EC. Just like cell phone data plans and streaming services, you can monitor, manage, and recharge your account any time by phone or by using your SmartHub account. Only pay for what you need. Control your costs Keep track of your daily energy use so you get a better grip on when, why, and how much you re spending. Easy account management Use our automated phone system or the SmartHub app to access your account securely from anywhere you have service. Free monitoring with SmartHub Go to FarmersElectric.coop to create a SmartHub account and download the mobile app to your Apple or Android device. Payment options Recharge your account using MoneyGram Express Pay, Fidelity Express, or your SmartHub account, and have the payment credited to your account the same day. Maximize your Proactive Plan Be sure to sign up for a FREE Home Energy Assessment to make your home more efficient. Pay for those efficient upgrades with energy rebates. Also, purchase a Nest thermostat and sign up for Nest Rush Hour Rewards to get a credit on your bill and to adjust your home s temperature from anywhere to maximize your Proactive Billing Plan. MONITOR AND CONTROL YOUR ENERGY USE WITH OUR ALTERNATE BILLING PLANS. TAKE CHARGE AND CALL MEMBERCARE FOR YOUR PLAN: For application and details, visit: FarmersElectric.coop Application Deadline: April 8, 2019 POWER TIP Turn off outdoor lighting during daylight hours when it s not needed. If you can, replace existing outdoor lights with solarpowered options for even greater savings. DID YOU KNOW? Persistent dirt lines on floors likely can be blamed on air leaks. Dirt travels in moisture, which travels in heat, which seeks cold. Where lines exist around the joints between walls and floors, check for drafts, then seal the leaks.

8 EFFICIENCY HUB Home Energy MEMBER HUB Assessment SmartHub Create an energy-efficient home. Ready to be more energy efficient, but confused about where to begin? You re not alone. With Farmers EC FREE Home Energy Assessment, our professional inspector will visit your home to assess your situation and show you how to save now, and in the long run. Identify Energy Loss We ll locate your home s weak points for costly energy loss. Long-term Upgrades We ll help identify upgrades that will really make a difference. Simple Upgrades We ll identify easy tips and changes you can do now to save energy. Farmers EC Rebates Take advantage of rebates that save money and energy. TAKE CHARGE. SCHEDULE YOUR FREE ENERGY ASSESSMENT: