The February 2015 edition of South Carolina Living magazine will be delivered to the mailboxes of members and subscribers mid-month, but you can view it online NOW!
HEC local highlights include:
CEO Column Always call before you dig: Projects big or small; make sure you call
Operation Round Up Report: HEC members generously helped 208 neighbors in need with $54,000 in aid during 2014
WIRE Jenny Ballard Opportunity Scholarship deadline is June 1
In Burgess, memories of another time – Mules and oxen helped bring co-op power to the Freewoods, member says
She ‘loved everything on the farm’ – except for one thing – Annie Plowden remembers growing up on her family’s farm in Burgess’ Freewoods
Right back where he started – He followed opportunity up North, then followed his instincts back to Burgess – and farming – featuring Cad Holmes.
Members are advised to always be careful when adjusting thermostat settings during cold weather. “It’s easy to accidentally activate the ’emergency heat’ setting,” says Garrett Gasque, one of the energy advisors at Horry Electric.
That ‘E’ is for ‘expensive’, says Gasque. Selecting ’emergency heat’ actually turns off your heat pump and turns on strip heating, which uses a lot of power, especially when it’s left on for a long time.
Horry Electric recommends making sure you carefully select the ‘heat’ setting and that you keep your thermostat as close to 68 degrees as possible to maximize energy savings and comfort. “If you’re chilly, put on a sweater or an extra layer of clothing,” suggests Gasque. “Anything to keep the system from struggling and running for a long time.”
A system running longer means more electricity is used.
Here’s how it works. The amount of energy used, called consumption, by furnaces, heat pumps or baseboard heaters is directly related to how long they run. Because they are connected to a thermostat, they run when the temperature drops a few degrees below the thermostat set point in your home. When the outside temperature is colder than normal, more heat is lost through the ceiling, walls, floors, and openings such as windows and doors. The thermostat senses this extra heat loss and operates the furnace more often to keep up with the heat loss. The longer the unit operates, the higher the energy consumption, which results in a higher electric bill.
“A spike of higher energy consumption due to colder weather can have a significant impact on your total bill, especially if extreme temperatures continue for several days” says Gasque.
So members won’t be totally surprised when the bill comes after a cold snap, Horry Electric has been and is continuing to proactively encourage everyone to get access to their account to view their personal energy use through MyEnergy Online. “Just go to our home page and click on theMyEnergy Online graphic,” says Gasque. “Once you get started, you’ll be on your way to taking control of your energy use.”
“It’s a powerful tool,” says Gasque. “The immediate feedback of seeing how much energy you use each day gives you a chance to alter your behavior and make changes before daily energy use adds up to a big electric bill.”
There isn’t much anyone can do about the weather, but we can each take control of our energy use. Visit horryelectric.com to learn more about the powerful tools available to members of Horry Electric.
The January 2015 edition of South Carolina Living magazine will soon be delivered to the mailboxes of members and subscribers, but you can view it online NOW!
Two opportunities for high school students! Juniors may apply for Youth Tour 2015 (deadline 2/27) and Seniors may apply for the $1500 WIRE scholarship (deadline 3/1)!
Co-op Connections® Feature: Heating and air and savings to spare, just for co-op members!
Hooray for Hollywood! A touch of Tinseltown in Tabor City helped their teen romance take root in Green Sea
Authors share an easy-flowing tale of two rivers –
Other January 2015 highlights available online:
The future of energy. John Frick; Vice President for Government Relations at The Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina
When members open their billing statement from Horry Electric this month, they’re going to find the Winter 2015 edition of Current Word, which is published periodically by the Cooperative as a supplement to other communications outlets.
Our mobile apps are featured in the Winter 2015 edition of Current Word. Members will also find information about:
Convenient payment options
Local Pay Stations
An opportunity to get a $50 electric bill credit
Touchstone Energy ® Home Efficiency Analysis Tool
PLUS, tips on ways to lower energy costs as the temperature drops