Cranking Up the Savings Through Energy Efficiency

01/08/2021

Save money, stay comfy with simple energy-saving tips

THE WOODLANDS, Texas – While winter weather is in the forecast for parts of southeast Texas, it doesn’t have to add a chill to your bill. Instead of cranking up the thermostat during the cold weather months, take some free or low-cost steps to make your home more energy-efficient to help save money on your utility bill.

With many customers still working or taking on other activities from home due to the pandemic, managing and conserving your energy usage is more important than ever.

Remember, heating and air conditioning can account for more than 50% of a home’s energy usage. Setting the thermostat to 68 degrees during the winter months is an easy way to reduce your energy usage. Every degree above 68 degrees can increase your bill by about 3%. So, if you crank it up to 78 degrees, for example, you could add 30% to your bill.

Adjusting the thermostat is not the only way you can help keep your heater or other appliances from going into overdrive; you also can:

Seal air leaks. Install weather stripping around your doors, windows and any location where there may be a path between the inside and outside of your home or business.
Conserve hot water. Wrap your electric water heater with a water heater blanket that can be found at local home improvement stores and set the thermostat to 120 degrees or medium.
Keep all doors and windows closed. Constantly opening doors and windows will let out the warm air, forcing your heater to work harder to keep the room at the set temperature.
Ensure fans are turning the right way. Fans should be run at a low speed clockwise during the winter. This helps keep the cold air from blowing down on you.
Keep the air circulating. Do not block heat registers or air returns with curtains or furniture.
Leverage the sun. During the day, open your curtains and blinds to let in the warm sunlight. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.
Check out energy-efficiency programs. Visit the Entergy Texas Entergy Solutions page for energy-saving solutions and energy-efficient products.

For those struggling to pay their utility bills due to the pandemic, Entergy has flexible payment arrangements through its Enhanced Customer Assistance plan. Qualified customers can also receive assistance through Entergy’s The Power to Care program and the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. To learn more about these options and to see if you qualify, visit https://www.entergy-texas.com/bill-help/.

About Entergy Texas

Entergy Texas, Inc. provides electricity to approximately 461,000 customers in 27 counties. Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including 8,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of $11 billion and approximately 13,600 employees.

-30-

entergytexas.com
Twitter: @EntergyTX
Facebook: Facebook.com/EntergyTX