Did Your CPS Bill Go Up?
Everyone expects a utility bill spike in the summer, but it isn’t entirely uncommon to notice alarming rates in the winter, too. Even in the mildest of winter seasons, it is important to remember that old homes have old furnaces and old furnaces aren’t the most efficient. We love giving our customers insider tips when we can. Read through the following ideas so that you won’t waste a cent on your future CPS bills.
1. Plan Your Budget with CPS’s Help
CPS Energy has begun offering a Budget Payment Plan. The utility provider charges the enrolled customer an average of their previous bills’ amounts, plus a fee for environmental factors. There is an application and approval process. Currently, CPS requires you to call them by phone to sign up. The jury is still out on how useful this option is, but we’re very interested!
2. Learn About CPS Energy Rebates
If you are are looking to weatherize or install more efficient appliances, make sure you check for any rebates and loans available to you through CPS. Rebates are a great incentive to get our community to take real progressive energy-saving measures.
In particular, the Efficiency Programs are great for balancing home comfort with excellent energy-saving best practices. Enrollees allow CPS to lower or raise their thermostats when demand for heat or air is high. If you have trouble remembering to turn off the heater when you leave the house, this is a great option for you.
3. Give Nest a Try, and Earn $150, or more!
You might have heard about Nest CPS energy recently. This new ‘learning’ thermostat automatically adapts to your temperature likes and dislikes so that you never have to worry about adjusting your home’s comfort level.
Signing up for the CPS ‘Rush Hour Rewards’ with Nest will earn customers a whopping $150. If that is not reason enough for you, keep checking with CPS for additional incentives. Sometimes CPS runs special retention deals, where customers who stick with the program are rewarded an extra cash amount back. There are also seasonal specials for ‘Rush Hour Rewards’ members. All of this reward money only adds to the satisfaction of seeing your rates lowered due to more energy-efficiency.
4. Easy Tricks to keep the House Warm
Sometimes, quick DIY’s can make take your home to the next level of coziness. One of our employees taught us a ceiling fan trick that works like a charm. Since many of our customers here in sunny San Antonio have ceiling fans, we’ve decided to share the secret.
Have you noticed that larger rooms do not retain heat very well? If you have a ceiling fan, you may be able to easily solve this problem. Simply reverse the direction of the fan to send that heat back downwards into the room.
You might also try replacing your air filters. We recommend customers do this every few months because dirty filters are a fire hazard, especially in older homes. A dirty filter can also cause heaters to worker unnecessarily harder, wasting energy and your money.
5. Seal up your Windows and Doors
Part of San Antonio’s charm is the lovely older homes and neighborhoods. We take great pride in maintaining our city’s identity. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t update the little things when possible.
It is normal for doors and windows to see some wear and tear over time. Caulking deteriorates and foundations shift, causing cracks along the seal of walls, windows, and doors. Changing temperatures can cause certain materials to expand and contract, exacerbating the problem of cracks in homes. ABC can weatherize your home to seal up areas where heat is prone to leak.
6. Give your heater a monthly check-up.
Homes need a doctor visit every once and a while. We recommend calling a professional to tune up your furnace once per year, even if your home is new. Doing so ensures that the system you paid good money for lasts as long as possible. A well-greased and maintained HVAC system is one that doesn’t waste any energy, so a regular heater maintenance will keep your bills low, too.
Are You Ready for Lower Utility Bills?
If you’re concerned about your bills and suspect that your furnace needs some work, make an appointment with ABC. If you have any questions, give us a call.
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