LCEC – Lee County Electric Cooperative

Energy tips while staying home

April 22, 2020 – As we all navigate the reality of staying home to help slow the spread of COVID-19, it is more important than ever to conserve electricity. Not only does conserving energy reduce your carbon footprint, but it can make a big difference in your electric bill. You are home more and LCEC reminds customers to follow these recommendations to avoid using more energy than you absolutely need during this trying time:

• When cooling your home, set the thermostat at 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Each degree below adds 8 to 12 percent to the cooling costs.
• Be sure your thermostat fan switch is set on the “auto” setting. This is more economical for temperature and humidity control.
• Do not close A/C vents or interior doors when A/C is running.
• Check the attic for areas where insulation is missing or may have been moved during repairs or cable installation.
• Change or clean filters monthly.
• Keep windows and exterior doors closed when running your air conditioner or heater. Also, use caulk and weather strip around windows and doors.
• Replace standard light bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), which use 75% less energy, or LED lamps (light emitting diode), which use 85% less energy with a life expectancy of 30,000 to 50,000 hours of run time.
• Turn off fans when the room is not occupied. Each continuously running fan costs approximately $7 per month on your electric bill.
• Install reflective window tint/film that will reflect 65 percent or better on windows facing east, west or south. You can buy this at your local home improvement store and install yourself!

Visit the Energy Efficiency pages of lcec.net for more tips and tools to help you save electricity. Keeping your family, yourself and your community well is your number one priority. We hope to help you consume wisely while we weather this COVID storm. We are all in this fight together, and we ALL have the power to make a difference! LCEC thanks everyone for doing their part during this unprecedented time. #wepoweron