MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — All day, things running in our homes run up the electric bill.
A few simple fixes — that won't break the bank — could save you money while saving energy.
A Home Energy Checkup is free for any Middle Tennessee Electric customer. You call the utility if you want to schedule a visit. If you're not their customer, ask your utility company about free energy audits. Others in our area offer similar programs.
During the in-home visit MTE does, an energy service coordinator walks through the house, attic and garage with the homeowner and looks for areas where the people in the home could use less energy.
At a Home Energy Checkup in Murfreesboro, a family learned about heat escaping through windows in the winter.
"When you have East and West facing windows, yes, you're getting light, but you're not getting heat from the sun, so you're losing internal heat," explained Katie McGee, an energy service coordinator. "And if you're sitting by it... body heat is being pulled out. So, closing [blinds and curtains] will absolutely help the temperature."
The homeowner appreciated how individualized the suggestions were.
"I appreciate the time she took to walk around, and show the little details and stuff, and not just make generalizations based on the age of the house and the time of year and some basic stats I told her. It's definitely a curated solution for us," Heather Evans said.
Here are a few more tips for you this winter: check your windows and doors for cracks and gaps. You can seal those with new weather stripping or caulk. Also, instead of turning up the heat try wearing a few extra layers instead. Experts recommend you keep your thermostat no higher than 68 degrees.
