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Ice on a tree

Many of our members likely saw the impact of several weeks of record cold when they opened their January electric bills. Because of the brutally cold weather, electric bills for January were expected to be at least 30 percent higher than during the same period last year. Temperatures dipped below zero in many places in January and heaters had to work overtime to keep homes and businesses comfortable. If your home’s heating source is electric, it took a lot more electricity to keep your house warm last month.

That is especially true if you heat your home with a heat pump. Heat pumps don’t work as efficiently when temperatures fall below freezing. When outdoor temperatures fall into the lower 20s, your heat pump may also need to use an auxiliary or emergency heat source to warm your home. The auxiliary heat element uses a lot of energy and many of the high bill complaints we received this year were from members using heat pumps. While sealing air leaks in your home can help lower your bill, members with heat pumps should leave the thermostat set to a constant temperature during the winter months. This ensures your system works efficiently, saving you the most money.

Should you have any questions about your electric bill, please give us a call at 855-332-9090. Let’s hope the rest of winter is much warmer!

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