In the winter and summer, your furnace, air conditioner and other appliances work overtime to keep you comfortable, which means they use more energy. This is especially true during extremely cold temperatures, like what Detroit recently experienced during the coldest winter in the past decade – meaning many are likely seeing higher energy bills. Additionally, homes in Detroit are older and may not have the most energy efficient insulation or windows.
DTE has tips and tools to help you understand and manage your energy use and bills all year long.
Why was my energy bill higher this past month?
- You were using more energy:When temperatures are cold, your furnace works harder to keep you comfortable, using more natural gas and electricity. Using space heaters, taking hot showers or baths, or using your oven or stove to cook warm meals will also increase your energy usage.
- Temperatures were fluctuating:Therefore, even just a few days of extremely cold weather can make your heating equipment work harder and longer, increasing your energy usage. There have also been some extremely cold evenings these past few months, so your heating equipment worked hardest during this time to keep you comfortable all night. Remember – even when you’re asleep, your furnace never sleeps.
- Your monthly billing cycle might be longer:Billing cycles can run from 26 to 35 days. The number of days in your meter reading schedule can vary based on holidays and weekends. The exact number of days in your billing cycle is listed on your bill, in your DTE online account and in the DTE Mobile App.
- More time or more people at home:You may have spent more time indoors out of the cold, or there may have been more people spending time in your home, which meant appliances were used more or thermostats were adjusted to make guests more comfortable.
What can I do to lower my energy bill?
- Adjust your programmable thermostatto 68 degrees when you’re home and to 65 degrees or lower when you’re asleep or out of the house. You can save around 3% on heating costs for each degree you lower your temperature.
- Know what uses the most energy. Electric space heaters use a high amount of energy and can impact your bill. Instead, try adding a layer like a blanket or sweatshirt instead of turning on your space heater.
- Add caulking or weatherstripping around doors and windows.You can save up to 10% on your annual energy bills by sealing air leaks and adding insulation.
- Allow warm sunlightin south-facing windows during the day and cover them at night to reduce drafts.
- Keep your furnace working at peak efficiencyby regularly changing air filters, cleaning vents and getting routine tune-ups.
- Turn on your ceiling fans.Run the ceiling fan clockwise to draw warm air near the ceiling down throughout the room.
What tools are available to help me lower my energy usage?
Our free energy usage tools make it easy to learn how you use energy so you can make the right decisions for your household’s budget. Sign into or create your DTE online account and use the Bill Analyzer Tool at the “Analyze my Bill” button to help you:
- Analyzeyour energy usage by the hour, week, month or year.
- Calculateyour DTE bill based on changes you make.
- Discoverwhat appliances use the most energy in your home.
- Try out a new electric rate to see how it could impact your projected bill.
- Understandhow outside factors, such as the length of the billing period or weather, can impact your bill.
Learn more ways to stay warm and lower your energy bill at dteenergy.com/staywarm. Additionally, if you or anyone you know needs assistance paying their bill, find support and programs at dteenergy.com/help.