As colder temperatures settle in this week, Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) offers some simple energy-efficiency tips to help members manage their energy costs.                   

• Be smart with your thermostat. Set your heating system’s thermostat to 68-degrees. You can expect to add 3% to your electric bill for each degree above 68-degrees.
  
  
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• Lower your water heater temperature. Set water heaters to 120-degrees (F) and reduce hot water use by taking shorter showers. Use cold water for laundry whenever possible.
  
  
• Seal leaks around windows and doors. You can also use cardboard, plastic, or blankets to minimize heat loss. 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.
  
  
  
• Rotate the direction of your ceiling fans. Blades should rotate clockwise during the winter. This pulls cold air up and helps push warm air back down to you, as warm air naturally rises to the ceiling. The fan should run at the lowest speed.
  
  
• Replace return air filters. Also, keep your heating and air conditioning equipment clean and well-maintained. A dirty filter will slow down airflow and make the system work harder to keep you warm.
  
  
• Turn off the dishwasher’s heat-drying options. Air dry dishes instead of using the dishwasher’s heat-drying options.
  
  
• Utilize the myMTE app. The myMTE app has a suite of useful tools, including one showing the hours a member’s household uses the most energy. Members can compare those hours with the temperature outside to get a better view of how much electricity is used when temperatures are lower.  
  
  
• Consider Levelized Billing. This option allows members to pay roughly the same amount on their bill each month, removing any extreme month-to-month fluctuations caused by weather, energy use and other factors. It is calculated by taking an average of energy use for the previous 12 months and will only have moderate variations each month. Contact MTE at 877-777-9020 or through the online portal at mte.com to learn more.  

Upcoming Weather Forecast (12/19 – 12/25): 

• Today (Mon.): Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Northeast wind around 5 mph.
• Tonight (Mon. Night): Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind.
• Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 49. Calm wind.
• Tuesday Night: Patchy fog between midnight and 5am. Otherwise, partly cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind.
• Wednesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 50. Calm wind becoming east northeast around 5 mph.
• Wednesday Night: A 30 percent chance of showers after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. East wind around 5 mph becoming south southeast after midnight.
• Thursday: Showers likely, mainly after noon. Cloudy, with a high near 53. South southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
• Thursday Night: Rain showers before midnight, then a chance of rain and snow showers. Low around 9. South wind 5 to 15 mph becoming west in the evening. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.
• Friday: A 20 percent chance of snow showers before noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 19. West wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
• Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 4.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 22.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 7.
• Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 29.

In addition to these tips, MTE has a team of energy efficiency experts ready to help members manage their electric use. To take advantage of this free service, visit mte.com/HomeEnergyCheckups for more information about our energy service coordinators or call 877-777-9020 to speak to a trusted energy advisor. For additional energy tips and resources, visit mte.com/EnergyTips.  
  
About Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) 
Founded in 1936, MTE is the largest electric cooperative in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and the second largest in the United States, serving more than 750,000 Tennesseans via 325,000+ accounts covering nearly 2,200 square miles in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, primarily Rutherford, Cannon, Williamson and Wilson. Municipalities served include Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Smyrna, La Vergne, Lebanon, and Mt. Juliet. MTE employs 520 people in seven local offices and its Murfreesboro corporate headquarters.

MTE’s subsidiary, United Communications, is a nationally recognized broadband company with a fiber network spanning more than 1,700 route miles providing high-speed internet and other services to portions of Williamson, Rutherford, Marshall, Bedford, Franklin, Wilson, and Davidson counties. 

For more information, please visit www.mte.com.

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