See how the weather affects your monthly usage
Have you ever opened your electric bill on a sunny winter’s day and wondered how you could have used so much electricity when the weather has been so nice?
The answer is as close as SmartHub, People’s Electric’s self-service portal. In addition to tracking usage, SmartHub offers the following improved usage management tools:
- Analyze and understand usage trends to find ways to use less
- Review how weather trends can affect meter usage
- Compare one month’s usage with another month
- Check status and report a power outage
Weather conditions, especially when it’s very cold or hot outside, contribute significantly to your home’s usage. The greater the difference between the outside temperature and your thermostat setting, the longer and harder your heating systems (i.e., HVAC, water heaters, space heaters, etc.) must work to reach and then maintain the system’s set point.
For instance, if it’s 34º F outside and your thermostat is set to 74, that’s a 40º F difference. Since heating and cooling costs make up nearly 50% of the typical home’s electric bill, very cold weather can increase your usage considerably – even more so if your home isn’t well insulated and sealed.
The number of hours and days that temperatures remain low outside also affects consumption. When it’s chilly, you often spend more time inside, running heaters, watching TV, playing video games, cooking, and taking hot showers to warm yourself. This activity adds up, leading to higher usage.
Members that have propane or gas heating units may still have fans and/or blowers that use electricity to circulate the heat throughout the home. Even your water heater must work harder to maintain its constant temperature when the weather is colder outside. We naturally enjoy a warmer shower when below freezing, cold temperatures are lingering outside, and often do not realize the amount of energy being used to heat the hot water we are using on cold days.
With SmartHub it’s easier to connect your bill to your home’s consumption, analyze and understand usage trends, review how weather trends can affect meter usage, compare one month’s usage with another and report a power outage. To sign up, visit our website or call (580) 332-3031. Our member service representatives are happy to help you!
