Roseland Woman Wins ComEd Contest; Utility Provides Winter Savings Tips
Melissa Petty enjoys saving money and conserving energy: She turns off lights when she isn’t using them and doesn’t overuse her home’s furnace or air conditioner.
Last week, Petty’s efforts paid off. ComEd officials announced that she will receive a new energy efficient water heater, valued at $1,200, for curtailing her use of electricity during the summer.
Petty, of the 10400 block of South Union Ave., in Chicago’s Roseland neighborhood, was one of five area ComEd customers who won a prize because of their dedicated participation in the “Peak Time Savings” program – saving electricity during high usage periods.
Aside from providing Petty a new water heater, ComEd will give other winning customers a refrigerator, a range, a dishwasher or a washer/dryer.
Petty said her new water heater will help her save even more money.
“I feel great,” Petty said. “This is going to be a great savings to me.”
ComEd customers earned a $1 credit on their electric bills for every kilowatt-hour of electricity they voluntarily reduced during Peak Time Savings Hours.
Overall, customers who took advantage of ComEd’s Peak Time program collectively saved about $400,000 on their electric bills.
The announcement was made as temperatures in the area dipped below 40 degrees -- when some ComEd customers started using space heaters.
Last week, ComEd officials also discussed the importance of conserving energy during the winter months.
“We really have a lot of resources to help [customers] manage their energy resources,” said George Malek, director of energy efficiency for ComEd. “We can help them prepare for winter season...”
One of the most effective ways for customers to conserve energy or keep utility bills down is to have an energy assessment conducted in their homes. The service is free and typically results in savings for $40 to $100 yearly, ComEd officials said.
“We go and look at what you have in your home,” Malek said.
A variety of household items are reviewed, from faucets to thermostats, ComEd officials said.
During the assessments, the utility provides energy efficient light bulbs and faucet aerators if needed, officials said.
ComEd is also currently installing smart meters to all 4 million customers in the area. So far, 1.7 million customers have received the new meters. The project is expected to be completed within the next couple of years.
Here are some ComEd tips that will help save energy and reduce utility bills in the winter:
· Set thermostats up to 10 degrees lower during the winter when sleeping or leaving home.
· Check heating, ventilating and air conditioning filters every month. If it looks filthy, change it. A dirty filter slows air flow and makes heating and cooling systems work harder.
· Replace incandescent holiday lights with lighting emitting diode (LEDs) lights. LEDs typically consume about 75 percent less energy and last 10 times longer. They also are more durable, shock-resistant and generate less heat compared to incandescent lights.
· Inspect and replace caulking and weather-stripping when necessary around windows and doors.
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