Wake Electric provides tools and tips for managing winter energy use.

While winter’s cold weather almost always means higher home energy use, the good news is Wake Electric has tools to help keep your home energy use, and budget, under control.

Here are some tips to help you save both energy and money when cold weather strikes:
〉 Seal air leaks: Use weather stripping or caulk to seal any cracks or gaps around windows, doors and thresholds. Also check your ceiling – make sure that fans and light fixtures are properly sealed to the ceiling to prevent the air in your home from escaping into the attic.
〉 Inspect your insulation. Ensure you have adequate insulation in your attic. This helps keep warm air in your house, rather than allowing it to escape into the attic.
〉 Set your thermostat. Lower the setting on your thermostat to 68 degrees, or as low as is comfortable, and maintain that temperature setting throughout the winter. Your heater has to work longer when temperatures are frigid, so lower temperature settings can lead to savings. Stay warm by wearing layers and adding extra blankets to beds.
〉 Switch to LED lighting. LEDs are more efficient than incandescent bulbs and Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs). Make the switch to LED bulbs in your home and enjoy increased efficiency that will create savings now and all year round.
〉 Save hot water. It takes energy to heat water, and you can save by adjusting your water heater’s setting to 120 degrees, installing high efficiency showerheads and washing clothes in cold water.
〉 Get a home energy audit. Kick off the year with a free home energy audit. Our energy experts can give you guidance on ways to make your home more energy and cost efficient.

Wake Electric also offers several services to help residents manage energy use during colder-than-normal temperatures, such as:
〉 SmartHub/mobile app. Track your energy use from your smart phone to keep heating and energy-related costs in check.
〉 High-use alerts. Sign up for text or email alerts that let
you know when your energy use reaches a certain level.
〉 Prepay and flexible payment options. Wake Electric offers prepaid and levelized billing services to help spread out your energy payments instead of having to pay the high costs that cold weather brings at one time.