Save Energy and Reduce Your Electric Bill

Through our Energy Advisor program, Boone REMC strives to offer common sense energy conservation advice that offers the most immediate return for your dollars spent.

Here are five common sense energy saving tips to consider:

1. Seal any air leaks in the home. Windows and doors are typical culprits. Call Boone REMC if you need help identifying air leaks. Contact Boone REMC for a free information packet about home sealing. Visit our Energy Advisor page for an Energy Star Home Sealing Guide

2. Add insulation in your attic. If you can see the ceiling joists, you don’t have enough insulation. 12 inches of cellulose or 18 inches of fiberglass is recommended.

3. Reduce time spent in the shower. Cutting five minutes from your shower can provide noticeable savings. Consider washing more clothes with cold water.

4. Do your research. A good place to start is Energy.gov. Review the web links listed on our Energy Advisor page. Energyhog.org is a great energy conservation site for adults and kids!

5. Call your Boone REMC Energy Advisors at 765.482.2390 or toll-free 800.897.7362. We offer free energy audits, energy calculator software and information packets that can help you improve your home and reduce energy bills.

Tech Tip

There are a hundreds of energy saving tips available on the Internet, unfortunately some of these tips are myths or misconceptions.

Here's a common example of a erroneous energy tip.

"Wrapping your water heater with a jacket, will reduce water heater costs by 20%."

The truth is that most electric water heaters do not lose a significant amount of heat through the tank (sometimes called tank loss). Any heat that might radiate from your water heater is released into your home or garage. You are getting some value from this minimal amount of heat.

The older water heater tanks do have more tank loss than newer units, but it's unlikely that you will recover the cost of the water heater jacket with energy savings.

The best way to lower your energy cost for water heating is to reduce the amount of hot water that you are using. Reducing the amount of time spent in the shower and washing clothes in cold water are to easy ways to reduce water heating costs.