As soon as you settle into comfortable fall temperatures, the summer sizzle returns, only to bring back nightly lows just above freezing. While this rapid seasonal tennis match feels routine for those living in the Midwest, it can impact homeowners more than they may know.
A sudden spike in summer temperatures or a quick drop in windchill can cause homeowners to run their air conditioning or heating systems more frequently. Paired with increased time indoors to escape outside conditions, this may result in a higher than normal energy use. Fortunately, control is available at your fingertips to help manage, and possibly save, on your monthly bill.
For I&M customers, your smart meter might be more valuable than you think. Information sent from your smart meter to your I&M account shows specific areas energy is used in your home. It also highlights where and when spikes have occurred. Your energy use is broken down, as specific as 15-minute increments, so homeowners can easily view when usage is higher and take action to correct the problem going forward. Customized notifications can also help alert homeowners when energy use is higher than normal.
Being empowered over your energy use, homeowners can quickly adjust and manage usage where it works for their household, without sacrificing comfort. Energy use looks different for everyone, which is why homeowners can complete a home energy profile personalized to their habits and home.
As the weather continues to bounce around, so do our schedules. Whether away at work and school to a busy weekend on the road, our house can sit empty for prolonged periods. Why keep an empty house comfortable by running the heat or air? A smart thermostat can help ensure comfort when it really matters - as everyone returns home. This technology picks up on a household’s patterns and adjusts heating or cooling to reflect those, including when the home is unoccupied or about to be. Making adjustments or simply maintaining your home’s comfort is as simple as accessing the thermostat’s app on your smart phone.
There are several options for increasing efficiency while decreasing your energy use. Tools like LED bulbs, power strips and shower heads can make an impact with minimal effort. Skip the lines and shopping around and use the I&M Marketplace to get a jump start on savings in one place. This online shopping tool is a platform to help customers make informed, energy-wise purchase decisions. A full list of appliances, electronics, smart thermostats and more is available on the Marketplace website.
Learn more about how to benefit from the information gathered with your smart meter on the I&M smart meter webpage. For additional energy efficiency tips for any season, visit ElectricIdeas.com.