Duke Energy Reports Record Usage and Higher Bills for January 2018

The new year brought in a blast of cold weather, and Duke Energy is offering some tips for managing your energy costs.

As colder temperatures settle in, follow these simple energy-efficiency tips to save all winter long:

Money-saving tips to combat the cold

• Reduce your thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting when home, and bump the thermostat down a degree or two when leaving home.

• Operate ceiling fans in a clockwise direction, which pushes warm air back down into the room.

• One of the easiest things customers can do to support heating efficiency is to change air filters regularly. A dirty air filter makes a heating system work harder, which uses more energy.

• Have the HVAC system checked regularly by a qualified heating and air conditioning contractor to maintain efficiency and peak performance. Duke Energy offers qualified customers rebates to help offset the cost of replacing older HVAC units with more energy efficient ones.

• Leave drapes or blinds open during sunny winter days to allow the sun's rays to warm the house, but close them at night to help insulate your home.

• Replace standard bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs or light emitting diodes (LED). CFLs and LEDs are more efficient than regular bulbs, while giving off the same amount of light. Visit Duke Energy's online store for free and discounted bulbs: duke-energy.com/deals.