The CVEC territory is experiencing its coldest winter in recent years, with more frigid weather still on the way. Temperatures are forecasted to be in the single digits, with highs well below freezing for three consecutive days next week. Extremely cold temperatures lead to increased usage and higher electric bills. At CVEC, we want to help you understand how the cold impacts your energy consumption, as well as learn ways to help offset the higher usage.
Why: When the temperature outside drops, your heating unit requires more electricity to maintain the temperature inside your home. Even if your thermostat is set to 68 degrees and you do not make any adjustments, your heat pump must work harder to maintain that temperature inside your home.
Well maintained heat pumps use less energy and are more efficient than space heaters or baseboard heating. However, when temperatures drop below 35 degrees, heat pumps become less efficient as they switch to resistance heat or “emergency heat” and use about 3 times more energy! The chart below shows how many days our region has experienced temperatures at or below 35 degrees.
On days when the temperature dipped below the red line (35 degrees), usage was higher.
Here are a few tips that may help manage your energy usage during colder months:
- Set your thermostat at a lower temperature while you're home and lower it even more while you're away or sleeping. When you are home, try adding a few layers of warm clothing or grabbing a blanket and lowering your thermostat.
- Space heaters consume a significant amount of electricity, so make sure you are using them wisely. Only use space heaters in the rooms you are occupying. Do not try to heat your entire home with a space heater.
- See if you qualify for CVEC’s Levelized Budget Billing Plan. With this program, your monthly bill is calculated based on a rolling average of your electricity usage for the current month and the previous 11 months. This way, your payments remain stable, eliminating large fluctuations. Plus, there is no settle-up month, so you can enjoy predictable bills all year long.
- Sign up for text notifications and receive daily usage alerts. Don’t wait until your bill arrives. Start monitoring and managing your energy consumption today.
- Visit the payment options page at www.mycvec.com for heating assistance resources or connect with Virginia 2-1-1 to learn about local services and assistance in your area.
We understand that this can be concerning, and we want to make sure you are aware of the situation and have the information you need.
If you need assistance or would like to discuss your bill further, please contact our Member Service team at 800-367-2832, Option 0, or email Member Services. We are here to help.
Thank you for being a valued member, and we appreciate your understanding during this challenging weather.
Visit the Energy Efficiency Resources page at www.mycvec.com for more energy saving tips.