When bitter cold hits, energy bills jump due to increased consumption. Horry Electric’s rates have remained the same this winter. Members probably haven’t changed their thermostat setting. How on earth could the electric bill have doubled!?!?
This increase is due to the extra amount of electricity it takes to keep the inside of your home at the temperature you have set on your thermostat when the outdoor temperature is colder. 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 for a week or more due to colder weather can significantly increase your total bill. We’ve been through an extended cold snap for the past several days. Electric bills are going to be higher.
Visit horryelectric.com and explore all the many tools available to members to get a better handle on energy use. We highly recommend tracking your daily energy use and signing up for daily alerts and reminders. There isn’t much we can do about the weather, but we can each take control of how we use energy in our homes and businesses.
Helpful online tools for members: