High winter bills? You can stop them cold

Are you looking for ways to save money by reducing your energy use? Let MTE be your local trusted energy adviser. As a not-for-profit electric cooperative, our purpose is to make your life better. It’s part of our ongoing effort to serve our members in every way possible. One way we do this is to offer energy-saving tips for increased seasonal electricity use.

Winter can present challenges when you’re trying to save on your energy costs. The extreme cold can drive up your energy use — and your bills. Reduce the impact of winter weather by changing your energy habits and checking out some of our energy-saving programs. As a follow-up to last month’s money-saving tips, here are five more suggestions that will help you lower energy consumption:

1. Capture solar heat and retain heat. Use sunlight to heat your home by opening window coverings during the day and closing them at night to trap heat that’s generated by your heating system.
2. Unplug items to reduce energy vampire costs. Many devices like chargers, laptops, and TVs still draw power even when turned off or in sleep mode. Use power strips to cut the electricity to multiple devices at once and prevent wasted energy.
3. Use LEDs instead of any other type of bulb. LED bulbs use much less energy than other types and can save on your lighting costs.
4. Sign up for a home energy audit. Our expert energy services team inspects your home and provides you actionable ways to reduce energy consumption, many of which are free or low-cost solutions.
5. Review your energy use in daily or hourly intervals using the myMTEMC mobile app. Through the myMTEMC app, you can view your energy use and set up alerts to notify when you are using more energy than normal. This allows you to change your habits to reduce your energy consumption and ultimately save money.

Your home and lifestyle are unique, which is why our energy services team is available to give you information customized to fit your particular situation. If you are interested in an energy audit or have questions, get in touch with one of our energy services coordinators to schedule an appointment.