Simple tips to help save on your electric costs
By AMY STUMPFL
For Brentwood Home Page
With the unseasonably warm temperatures we’ve been experiencing in Brentwood, it might be easy to forget that winter is upon us. And while we can’t predict the weather, there are a few things we can do to conserve energy and keep utility costs in check.
“The quickest and easiest way to impact your bill is simply to adjust your thermostat,” says Todd Palmer, communications coordinator for Middle Tennessee Electric Membership Cooperation.
“Your heating and air conditioning unit accounts for more than 50 percent of your electric bill, but each degree you raise or lower the thermostat means you pay about 3 percent less on your bill. So you could save 6 percent by simply moving the temperature from 70 degrees down to 68 degrees.
“The second biggest consumer of electricity in your home is your water heater,” he adds. “Make sure your water heater thermostat is set no higher than 140 degrees. Then think about how you use hot water. Wash and rinse clothes in cold water whenever possible. Run the dishwasher only when it’s full, and install a low-flow shower head.”
Palmer also encourages homeowners to replace conventional light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and to turn off lights, TVs and other appliances in unoccupied rooms.
“Another tip is to open the drapes on a sunny day,” he says. “Even if it’s cold outside, this helps warm the room and keeps your heat from running constantly. It’s all these little things that can – and do – add up to save money on your electric bills.”
Along with such simple conservation strategies, MTEMC encourages its members to consider ways to “winterize” their homes – adding caulk and weather stripping around windows and doors, sealing gaps in floors around pipes and wiring, and adding insulation to the attic.
“The best remedy for offsetting costly winter electric bills is energy efficiency and conservation,” says MTEMC residential marketing supervisor Tom Moreland. “These home maintenance projects are easy to do and can save you money. If a home isn’t tightly sealed, the home’s ability to maintain a constant temperature is disrupted.”
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“I knew that the house, being as old as it is, needed insulation and probably had some other energy efficiency issues.”
DENNIS KUNKLE
Brentwood Homeowner on MTEMC's In-Home Energy Evalucation
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Palmer agrees, noting that MTEMC offers a variety of programs designed to help homeowners address their particular energy needs and cost issues.
“We want to work with members to make their homes more energy efficient,” he says. “We offer an Online Home Energy Evaluation, which helps identify common problem areas and potential savings. We also have partnered with the Tennessee Valley Authority to offer an In-Home Energy Evaluation. For $150, a certified home evaluator will come in and make specific recommendations. Members can get the $150 back, however, if they follow through on those recommendations, completing improvements within 90 days.”
Brentwood resident Dennis Kunkle was in the process of replacing the HVAC unit in his 1970s Stonehenge home when he first learned about MTEMC’s In-Home Energy Evaluation program.
“I knew that the house, being as old as it is, needed insulation and probably had some other energy efficiency issues,” says Kunkle, who has lived in Brentwood since 1987. But he was surprised to learn just how extensive those issues really were.
“The attic was not at all adequate,” he says. “The knee walls needed additional insulation, and so did the floor.”
Kunkle decided to move forward on a number of the recommended improvements. And while it’s too soon to know exactly what his cost savings will be, he already has noticed a significant difference in the home’s overall comfort level.
“Everything warms up quickly now – it’s much more comfortable. I definitely would recommend this to anyone, especially for those with older homes.”
To learn more about MTEMC’s programs, visit mtemc.com.
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