Thermostat do s & don ts

Transcription

1 Watt High Lights Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation Brownstown, Indiana Your Touchstone Energy Cooperative January 2016 Volume 70 - Number 7 Thermostat do s & don ts See page 3 for information about setting back your thermostat

2 Watt High Lights Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation 274 E. Base Road (Venus Road) P.O. Box K Brownstown, IN Local calls Toll free FAX only info@jacksonremc.com Web site - Pay bills online - visit our website (above) Pay bills by phone Office Hours 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM Monday through Friday To report outages or emergencies (local) or toll free day or night Board of Directors President John Trinkle - district 3 Vice-President Earl Pottschmidt - district 8 Secretary-Treasurer Jerry Kelley - district 5 John Hackman - district 1 Walter Hunter - district 2 Paul Elliott - district 4 Mark Trisler - district 6 Curtis Wischmeier - district 7 John Miller - district 9 OUR COVER Your thermostat --- should you set it lower at night, then raise it back up during the day? The answer may surprise you. See page 3 for an article about thermostat settings by the REMC s new energy advisor, Brian Reynolds. Watt High Lights - (USPS ) is published monthly for $3.00 per year (electric rates include subscription) by Jackson County Rural Electric Membership Corporation, a consumer owned utility, 274 E. Base Road, Brownstown, Indiana Periodicals postage paid at Brownstown, Indiana. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Watt High Lights, P.O. Box K, Brownstown, Indiana Electric Cooperative Youth Tour Mark McKinney, General Manager What do 1,500 high school students, our nation s capital, and electric cooperatives have in common? The Electric Cooperative Youth Tour. Youth Tour was established with one thought in mind to inspire our next generation of leaders. Since 1964, more than 50,000 young Americans have taken advantage of this special opportunity offered by their electric cooperative. For 2016, the Board of Directors has approved sending three students to be part of this great opportunity. The trip will take place in June and hundreds of electric cooperatives across the country will send participants to Washington, D.C. for a chance to learn about the cooperative business model, a full week of sightseeing, and the opportunity to interact with other students. While in D.C., participants will also have a chance to meet with their elected officials and discuss the issues that are important back home. Without a doubt, Youth Tour has grown into an invaluable program that gives young Americans an experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. February 12th is the deadline to submit applications and then we will begin the process to select local students to attend Youth Tour If you know of a high school junior who would be a great candidate for the program and would be interested in traveling to Washington, D.C. this summer to experience the trip of a lifetime, please look on page 5 for application information. You can also visit for additional information about the program. Youth Tour is so much more than a sightseeing trip. Not only do students gain a deeper understanding of their electric cooperative, participantw across the nation have repeatedly shared this experience has helped them grow into successful professionals. For the past few years, we have invited our Youth Tour participants to share their experiences at Youth Tour during at our annual meeting in July. Each year as I listen to the students speak, I am amazed at the details they provide about the trip, what they have learned, and the level of confidence each one demonstrates. Youth Tour participants return home with a deeper understanding and the skill sets needed for what it takes to be leader, and as a result, they can put these skills to use right here in our community. Help us find the next generation of leaders by sharing the 2016 Youth Tour opportunity with a promising student. Page 2 - January 2016

3 Thermostat do s & don ts by Brian Reynolds, Energy Advisor I have been asked if it is a good idea to set back a thermostat at night, or when everyone is gone, to help reduce heating costs. The answer is this: it depends on the type of heating system in the home. If a fossil fuel furnace (natural gas, propane, or fuel oil) is being used, setting back a thermostat is a great way to save money. However, if you have a heat pump or geothermal heating system, setting back your thermostat can actually cost you money. This auxiliary heat is not as efficient as the heat pump or geothermal unit. If a system is heating the home and it takes a long time to achieve the desired temperature, the auxiliary heat will come on to help speed up the process. For heat pumps, the auxiliary heat generally is needed once the outdoor temperature drops to below 30 degrees. Geothermal systems will go to a much lower temperature before requiring the help. turn up the thermostat and the system is trying to catch up. These systems are designed to set the thermostat at a desired temperature, and then be left alone. So what do I recommend? Based on the findings of the U.S. Department of Energy, you should set your thermostats for 68 degrees during the heating season. If you have a gas furnace, you can save money by setting back the thermostat 5 to 10 degrees when you are asleep or at work. Heat pumps and geothermal units typically produce air that is between 90 and 95 degrees. Air at this temperature takes longer to heat the home. Due to the low air temperature produced, these systems require auxiliary heat during periods when more heating is required such as a cold winter day or if the thermostat is increased significantly. Statement of Nondiscrimination When the thermostat temperature is increased more than 2 degrees, both geothermal and heat pump systems will have the auxiliary heat turn on to achieve the desired temperature as fast as possible. The money you save by setting back the thermostat at night or when everyone is gone will be lost when you Jackson County REMC is a recipient of federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or a part of an individual s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA s TARGET Center at (202) (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C , or call (800) (voice) or (202) (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. If you have a heat pump or geothermal system, set the thermostat at 68 degrees and don t change it. If 68 degrees is too cold for you, find the lowest temperature that can keep you comfortable and leave it there. Feel free to call our office if you have any questions. Editor s note: Brian Reynolds joined the REMC family as the cooperative s new Energy Advisor on October 26, Brian will be writing more energy articles for the Watt High Lights in addition to handling our demand side energy management program and talking with members about ways to reduce energy usage in their homes, businesses and farms. Contact Brian at or him at breynolds@ jacksonremc.com with your questions. January Page 3

4 Page 4 - January 2016 You have the power!

5 Application deadline approaching for summer youth trips Friday, February 12, is the deadline for applications for the the 2016 Youth to Washington trip for current high school juniors and the 2016 Touchstone Energy Camp for current sixth grade students. Youth to Washington The Indiana Youth to Washington delegation will meet in Indianapolis on Thursday, June 9, 2016, and will return to the headquarters of Indiana Electric Cooperatives. on Thursday, June 16. Applicants must currently be 11th grade students at an area high school or home school and must be ready to enter the 12th grade at the time of the trip. An applicant must reside with a parent or guardian who is a member-of-record of Jackson County REMC. Applicants will need to complete an application form and prepare a 250-word essay about how Jackson County REMC improves the quality of life in his or her community. Applications are judged on academics, activities in and out of school, community involvement and the essay. Touchstone Energy Camp This year s camp is set for June 8 - June 11 at Camp Tecumseh in Northern Indiana. Applicants must currently be sixth grade students and must reside with a parent or guardian who is a memberof-record of Jackson County REMC. A completed application with a short essay about why you want to attend Touchstone Energy Camp needs to be submitted by the deadline. Applications for both youth events are available by calling the REMC office at or , or by at nault@jacksonremc.com. They are also posted on the REMC website at Electric Consumer Student Art Contest deadline is March 18 Winning artwork to be featured in annual calendar Who can enter: Any Indiana student, attending a public or private school or educated at home, who for the school year is in the grades kindergarten through high school senior. Students do not have to be consumers of a rural electric cooperative (REMC/REC). Artwork can be submitted by teachers, 4-H leaders or others as a group or class project, or by individual students or their parents or guardians. Students may enter as often as they wish. How does the contest work: Match the grade the student is in during the current ( ) school year to the corresponding month. Students should draw or paint a picture to illustrate their assigned month: Kindergarten students will create the cover art. There is no theme for the cover. Any subject, season, event, etc., is acceptable. 1st grade - January 5th grade - May 9th grade - September 2nd grade - February 6th grade - June 10th grade - October 3rd grade - March 7th grade - July 11th grade - November 4th grade - April 8th grade - August 12th grade - December Entry Deadline: Artwork must be at the Indianapolis office of the Electric Consumer by 3:00 p.m., Friday, March 18, Mailing address: P.O. Box 24517, Indianapolis, IN 46224; street address: 720 N. High School Road, Indianapolis, IN For more details & entry forms: Entry forms and a full set of rules and instructions appear on the Electric Consumer website. Click on Student Art Contest at: www. ElectricConsumer.org. You may also contact Richard Biever or Emily Schilling at Electric Consumer, , , or the Electric Consumer at ec@ indianaec.coop. A complete set of contest rules and guidelines should be downloaded or viewed by visiting Entry forms, artwork requirements, judging criteria and artwork tips are also available on the website. January Page 5

6 Beat the Peak and earn some cool cash! Join the REMC s Energy Management Program and help keep rates low by reducing the peak demand for electricity. You ll also receive bill credits for helping Beat the Peak! Electric utilities across the nation are faced with a growing need to generate more electricity to meet customer demands. But, instead of building more power plants to meet those needs, many utilities are urging their customers to reduce their power consumption during the times of peak generating requirements. One component of the wholesale electric rate for Jackson County REMC is based on the peak demand, or the time when the most electricity is being used. Your REMC s peak demand occurs when you and the other 20,000+ members are using significant amounts of electricity at the same time. The peaks usually occur in the summer and winter months when air conditioning and water heating are at their highest. What can you do to help your REMC beat the peak? You can enroll in the REMC s Energy Management Program (EMP) and take advantage of the seasonal bill credits we offer! EMP uses a device to manage electricity use at residential services when demand for electricity is at its highest. Water heaters may be turned off for up to three hours at a time. Central air conditioner compressors may be cycled onand-off so the inside temperature remains comfortable. When are water heaters and air conditioners managed? Water heaters are managed during the summer months (June, July, August) and the winter months (December, January, February). Heat pumps and central air conditioners are managed only during the Page 6 - January 2016 summer months (June, July, August). On average only 5 control events occurred per month for 3 hours per control period this past summer. We do not control your heating system. Earn bill credits for helping beat the peak! By participating in the EMP you will receive bill credits during the peak months as listed below: * Water heater or air conditioner only - $3.00 per month in December, January, February, June, July and August (total of $18.00 per year) * Both water heater & central air - $8.00 per month in December, January, February, June, July and August (total of $48.00 per year) The maximum bill credit per account is $48.00 per year. Only residential accounts are eligible to participate in the program at this time. Can I sign up for EMP? Residential members meeting these requirements may participate in EMP: * Full time residences only * Total power usage must be at least 500 kwh during the peak months to receive the bill credit * Rental properties must have the owner s signature * Services billed under the time-of-use rate option do not qualify * If installation of the energy management device would require mounting equipment or running wires in finished areas, specific home-owner approval is required Water heaters * Water heater must be the primary water heater and must be a standard electric water heater 40 gallons or more in size (water heaters less than 40 gallons will be considered on a case-by-case basis) * Heat pump water heaters and on demand water heaters are not eligible * Unit must be in good condition (not likely to be replaced in the near future) * The installer must have good access to the water heater Central AC & heat pumps * Must be the primary cooling unit * The unit must be 2 tons or larger in size * Cooling units serving single-wide mobile homes are not eligible * Geothermal systems are eligible * Must be in good condition (not likely to be changed out in the near future) * The installer must have good access to the equipment How do I sign up? You need to sign an agreement form. Forms are available on our website ( Just click on the Energy Services tab on the home page. You can also send us an (info@jacksonremc.com) or call us ( or toll free) to receive an agreement form. Once we receive your signed agreement you will be contacted to schedule the installation of the device.

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8 Soups to warm you up! by Betty Baute Member Services Representative My slow cookers (I have several in various sizes) get a workout during the winter months. On most weekday mornings I ll load one up with the makings of a hearty soup or stew before I leave for work. I can then serve a hot, balanced meal that evening with a salad and a crusty bread. By using my slow cooker I not only have supper waiting for my family when I walk in the door, I m also saving money by using this energy-friendly way to cook! * * * * * Coming in February My good friend and co-worker Anita Banister will be retiring on March 1. Anita shared many recipes and home energy information through this newsletter s Ladies Page for 27 years of her nearly 42-year career. In honor of her retirement we ll be sharing some of Anita s favorite recipes in next month s issue. * * * * * Slow cooker vegetable soup 1 can (46 ounces) tomato juice 2 bags (16 ounces each) frozen 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef, mixed vegetables browned and drained 1 can (15 ounces) beef broth 1 bag (16 ounces) coleslaw mix salt & pepper to taste 1 envelope dry onion soup mix Combine all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker that has been coated with nonstick vegetable spray. Cover and cook on HIGH for 8 to 10 hours. Yield - about 8 servings. (Note Add water or broth during the last hour or two if it doesn t seem soupy enough.) Slow cooker bean soup 3 cups dried navy, great 2 tablespoons minced dry onion northern or pinto beans 1 carrot, diced 1 cup diced, peeled potatoes 1 rib celery, diced 2 cups diced ham 8 cups water 2 chicken bouillon cubes pepper to taste Rinse & pick over beans. Place all ingredients in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW setting for 8 to 10 hours, or on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours. Stir only once or twice as lifting the slow cooker s lid loses a great deal of its heat. Yield - about 8 servings. Energy-saving tips for washing dishes Save water by scraping dishes instead of rinsing them before loading in the dishwasher. Rinsing dirty dishes before loading your dishwasher uses a lot of water and energy. Run your dishwasher only when it has a full load, and allow dishes to air dry instead of using your dishwasher s drying cycle. If you hand wash your dishes, fill the wash and rinse basins instead of letting a stream of hot water go straight down the drain. Slow cooker potato soup 8 pounds potatoes, peeled and cubed 2 tablespoons dried parsley 1 small onion, chopped 6 cups water 2 tablespoons butter 2 cups milk 2 chicken bouillon cubes 1/2 cup all-purpose flour Combine potatoes, onion, butter, bouillon cubes, parsley and water in a 6-quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours. At least a half-hour before serving, stir together the milk and flour until no lumps remain. Stir mixture into the soup and cook for 30 minutes until the soup is thickened. Yield - about 8 servings. Page 8 - January 2016

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10 COMMUNITY CALENDAR To have your non-profit group s event listed in our Community Calendar, please contact us by letter, phone or (bbaute@jacksonremc.com) at least six weeks before your event date. Include a phone number we can call to verify your information. Jackson County Every Monday evening - Community Diner serves free meals every Monday from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church on East Third Street in Seymour. They are looking for volunteers to help prepare and serve meals. Contact communitydinersey@ gmail.com for additional information. February 24 - Annual Farmers Breakfast beginning at 7:30 a.m. at Pewter Hall, just east of State Road 135 south of Brownstown. The event is hosted by the Community Foundation of Jackson County and Purdue Extension Service. Reservation deadline is February 17. For more information or to make reservations contact the Community Foundation of Jackson County by (info@cfjacksoncounty.org) or by phone ( ). February 12, 13, 14, 18, 19 & 20 - Jackson County Community Theatre presents Boeing! Boeing! as its annual dinner theatre at The Pines Evergreen Room in Seymour. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for the buffet meal and show on the 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th and 1:00 p.m. on the 14th. There is a show only night on the 18th with doors opening at 7:00 p.m. Prices are $30.00 per person for dinner shows, $12.00 at the door for non-dinner show. Call or mail@jcct. org for more information, or to make reservations after January 9. February 25 - Purdue Club of Jackson County annual dinner meeting and scholarship fundraiser at Celebrations Event Center in Seymour. Social gathering at 6:00 Page 10 - January 2016 p.m., dinner and program at 6:30. Guest speaker will be former basketball standout Brian Cardinal. All Purdue alumni and friends welcomed. Cost is $20.00 per person or $ per table of 8. Contact Mary Lou Siefker ( ) or visit to make reservations. March 4, 5, 11 & 12 - Actors Community Theater of Seymour presents Run For Your Wife as a dinner show at Celebrations Event Center in Seymour. Admission is $25.00 (reservations required) for the buffet meal and the show. Tickets for the show only are $10.00 and are available at the door. Call or katbaute. acts@gmail.com for reservations. March 5 - Brownstown Exchange Club All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. at Brownstown Central High School. Advance sale tickets ($5.00 for adults, $3.00 for children under 12) are available from any club member or at the Peoples Bank main office in Brownstown, Brownstown Greenhouse, the Jackson County Banner and Family Drug. Tickets at the door will be $6.00 for adults and $3.50 for children under 12. Dine in or carry out. Visit for more information. Scott County February 4 (snow date February 11) - Scott County Soil & Water Conservation District Annual Meeting and Dinner. Dinner served at 6:30 p.m. in the Scottsburg High School Commons, 500 South Gardner, Scottsburg, IN. The speaker this year is Meg Leader, Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director of the INfield Advantage Program. For more information and ticket reservations, please call , extension 3. Third Friday of every month - Ghost tours of the Scott County Heritage Center and Museum. Cost is $10.00 per person. The tour features the three-story brick building built in Special sixhour tours with paranormal investigators for up to 10 people are also available through special arrangements at $ per tour. Call the museum ( ) about starting times, reservations or other information. Third Wednesday each month - Brown Bag Lunch at the Scott County Heritage Center and Museum. Programs vary each month; desserts and drinks are free. Call the museum ( ) for more information.

11 2016 rebate program for full-time residences now underway The 2016 rebate program for new heating and cooling systems and heat-pump water heaters is now underway. The rebates are available for the following qualifying systems installed after January 1. = New or replacement central air conditioner and heat pump systems = New or replacement dual-fuel heat pump system = New mini-split heat pump system = New or replacement geothermal heat pump system = New hybrid water heater System requirements: Heat pumps, geothermal systems and central air conditioners must have a minimum SEER rating of 14 for single-wide and double-wide manufactured houses and a minimum SEER rating of 16 for stick-built houses to qualify for the rebate program. Mini-split heat pump systems must be a minimum of 16-SEER and have a minimum of 2 indoor units. Double your rebate! You can double our program s minimum rebate by participating in the REMC s Energy Management Program. You ll also receive credits on your electric bill through your participation in EMP. See pages 6 & 7 for more information about EMP and how to sign up. Call us or visit our website for more information. January Page 11

12 TELEPHONE TOLL FREE During regular office hours you will be connected with our customer service representatives. After regular hours you will be connected with our answering service. Please call during regular office hours for all business other than outages or emergencies. OFFICE HOURS 7:30 AM to 4:30 PM - Monday through Friday FAX only info@jacksonremc.com Web site - Pay bill online - visit our website (above) Pay bill by phone When calling or writing please give the name and customer number above your name on this label or your account number shown on your bill. If you had a hole this big in your front door, you d do something about it - right? A crack just 1/4-inch wide (like the line below) beneath your door will let the same amount of heated air escape from your home as the 3-inch-square hole represented above. Stop air leaks by weatherstripping around your doors and windows. It will benefit you not only during the current heating season, but during the coming cooling season. For more energy-saving tips visit