Successful savings

Murfreesboro members give MTE’s Home Energy Checkup an enthusiastic thumbs up

When retirees Carolyn and Gary Williams relocated to Murfreesboro five years ago, a primary goal was to escape the oppressive summertime heat in southeast Louisiana. The new MTE members quickly learned to appreciate Tennessee’s more comfortable climate and the lower electric bills associated with it. Then, a shocking thing happened.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Carolyn said, describing her reaction when opening her monthly power bill last summer. It was 70% higher than for the same period the previous year.

Though she knew hot temperatures and seasonal use habits could drive energy costs, the bill “was just so much more than we were used to paying,” she said.

Instead of blowing their cool, the Williamses took action.

Carolyn remembered reading about the free MTE Home Energy Checkup program in the pages of The Tennessee Magazine. A brief phone call connected her with Katie McKee, one of MTE’s EnergyPros. Plans were made for the EnergyPro to visit the Williams home to evaluate their energy use and identify the source of the high-bill problem.

The energy checkup program is one of the benefits of MTE membership. McKee and four other MTE EnergyPros conduct onsite energy evaluations of member homes. Last year, the team conducted 932 of the free inspections, helping members reduce energy consumption and monthly bills.

Looking for trouble

“I describe my work as being like an energy-waste detective,” McKee said, explaining the methodical way she approaches any home energy checkup. “I know what the typical problems are and where to find them.”

Just a few days after receiving their call for help, McKee was at the Williamses’ 25-year-old, two-story home. She arrived with data about their past energy consumption — information that clearly indicated their electricity bill was abnormally high. Gary, a retired law enforcement professional, shadowed McKee as she began her “detective” work in the home’s attic.

“A suddenly high utility bill is a common sign of trouble in the attic where there’s roughly 40% of energy loss potential,” the MTE EnergyPro said. Older homes can have inadequate or degraded insulation or leaky ductwork that contribute to energy loss. Poorly sealed attic hatches can also be problematic.

“Uninsulated or unsealed pull-down stairs act as massive, direct entry points for cold air to leave the home’s air-conditioned space,” McKee said. The Williamses followed her recommendation to install an inexpensive insulated attic hatch cover.

Digging deeper

McKee pressed on with her inspection, still searching for the primary cause of the sudden hike in electricity use. She looked at the home’s heating and air conditioning (HVAC) unit, another common source of energy waste.

“High summer household energy demand can cause HVAC systems to work overtime. A variety of factors — from dirty filters to a maintenance issue — might force the unit to run longer to keep the home cool,” she said.

McKee found that the air conditioning was running more than it should to cool the 2,300-square-foot home. She urged the couple to contact their HVAC contractor for a thorough inspection of the equipment, which revealed a faulty relay switch as the electricity-wasting culprit.

Replacing the switch was an easy and quick repair that immediately returned the heat pump to efficient operation. “I couldn’t believe a simple fix like that could make such a big difference,” Carolyn said.

Tightening up

McKee’s home energy checkup also included looking for air leaks, which can account for as much as 25% to 40% of cooling energy loss. When air-conditioned air escapes, it forces HVAC systems to run longer, increasing energy bills and accelerating wear on the equipment.

“Our house gets a lot of wind, and we could hear whistling sounds that showed we had air leaks,” Carolyn said. “Katie helped us pinpoint areas needing attention.” Using McKee’s suggestions, Gary did some caulking and
weatherstripping around windows and
doors to tighten the home’s envelope.

A positive review

The Williamses agree that the small amount of time spent with McKee was well worth it.

“It was very informative,” Gary said. “I’m pretty knowledgeable about home maintenance, but she pointed out things I
hadn’t thought of.”

After taking the steps McKee recommended — along with the HVAC repair — the couple saw their power
bill immediately drop back to its normal seasonal range. As a bonus, the interaction with the MTE EnergyPro also
resulted in a windfall in the form of a TVA EnergyRight rebate for a new mini-split HVAC system they had recently installed.

After their positive checkup experience, the Williamses are recommending the service to others. “I tell everybody,” Carolyn said. “It doesn’t cost you a thing, and you can save a lot of money.”

Learn more and schedule a free checkup at mte.com/HomeEnergyCheckups.