GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ) – With an early taste of winter, Wisconsin residents could see a rise in their energy costs.
Record low temperatures were recorded in Central Wisconsin Monday evening, likely causing many residents to turn on their heating system for the first time since early 2020. Wisconsin Public Service is offering tips to help customers keep their energy bills low as the weather turns cooler. WPS Spokesperson Matt Cullen says the biggest thing customers need to do is check their heating equipment.
“Clean off the cobwebs around their furnace or heating system. If their heating system has a filter, that filter should be clear of any dust or debris, or dirt. And for any heating system, you want to have a professional inspection and tune-up of that system at the beginning of the season.”
Cullen mentions there are several easy ways customers can help manage their energy costs to keep them low this year. “One easy step that customers can take is to set their thermostat back 7 to 10 degrees when they’re asleep or they might be outside the home. That way their furnace or their heating system isn’t generating that extra warm air when they might not be around or might not be able to notice the effect that it’s providing to their home.
“One other easy step that customers can take that’s at no cost to them is to open window coverings inside their homes. Whether they be blinds, drapes, or curtains, and that allows the natural light from the sun rays to come into their home and naturally warm up their home so they don’t have to go to their thermostat and turn it up. Another simple step to take when it comes to electricity in your home is to be on the lookout for energy vampires.
“What we mean by that is electronic devices such as cell phone chargers or video game systems perhaps even a blu ray player that’s plugged in but it’s been turned off. That device is actually still using energy still consuming energy so a great way to ward off those energy vampires is by using power strips. The traditional kind you can plug those electronic devices into them and flip everything off with one switch and stop that flow of electricity to those devices. But now there’s also smart power strips that do that automatically. So you can plug those in, plug your electronic devices into that smart power strip. That way when you turn that device off it automatically has electricity that’s prevented from flowing to it.”
WPS customers can also visit the Focus on Energy website from the state that details the state’s energy efficiency program. On that website, customers can see models and options regarding ways to becoming more efficient with their energy bills. Customers with questions about their bill with the colder temperatures can contact Wisconsin Public Service at 1-800-450-7260.
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