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For Electric Cooperative Members

Conserve Energy as the Weather Cools

Help lower electric bills with these simple tips

It’s tempting to turn the heat on as soon as the weather starts to cool in the fall and early winter. But holding off for a few weeks until you really need to rely on heat can keep your energy bills low.

If you must turn the heat on:

Set it no higher than 68 degrees. This will make your indoor air comfortable without wasting energy.

Put on another layer. Try putting on a sweater and slippers if you’re feeling cold. Adding another layer of clothing to your body might keep you cozy enough to delay turning up the thermostat.

Move furniture and drapes away from warm air registers and baseboard heaters so they don’t block the heat from circulating. The freer the airflow, the lower you can set your thermostat.

Close the flue damper of your wood-burning fireplace. In fact, consider fitting an electric fireplace into it so you can enjoy a light show without sending heated air up the chimney.

Have a heating, ventilating and air conditioning professional inspect your heating system before it gets too cold outside. Regular maintenance can prevent an expensive, inconvenient problem later in the winter—when it would be uncomfortable to go even a day without a working heating system.

Seal indoor openings on external walls, such as around the areas where the cable and phone lines come into the house and around penetrations for water pipes and sewer lines. Caulking those openings can keep your heated air in and the cool air out.

Add or repair weatherstripping. The spaces around doors and windows can allow cold air to sneak in, so before it gets too cold out, inspect your weatherstripping to make sure it’s blocking air movement. If it’s missing or worn out, replace it.