PowerHouse Tip of the Month
May Tip of the Month: Clean vents around your home
Spring cleaning is a good time to look beyond closets and cabinets. Refrigerator coils and air vents around your home can quietly collect dust, pet hair and debris all year long. HVAC vents, floor registers, bathroom fans, dryer vents and refrigerator coils are easy to miss, but they affect how efficiently your home runs.
When dust or lint clog vents and coils, it restricts airflow. That causes heating and cooling systems and appliances to work harder than necessary to keep your home comfortable during spring’s changing temperatures.
A quick cleaning helps:
- Improve airflow.
- Support efficient HVAC system and appliance operation.
- Reduce dust and lint circulation.
Dust buildup is not just an efficiency issue. Over time, debris around vents, coils and dryer exhausts can trap heat or strain equipment. Keeping these areas clean helps systems run as intended and can reduce wear, overheating or other issues caused by restricted airflow.
Try adding these quick tasks to your spring cleaning routine:
- Wipe down HVAC vent covers and floor registers.
- Vacuum inside reachable vent openings.
- Clean dryer lint traps and check accessible dryer vent areas.
- Gently clean refrigerator coils.
Make vent cleaning part of your seasonal checklist. It’s a simple way to care for systems you rely on every day and help maintain a safer, well‑functioning home.
April Tip of the Month: Get an air conditioner tuneup
Your air conditioner works hard when temperatures climb. A professional tuneup helps make sure it’s ready when you need it most. Small maintenance steps now can help your system run more efficiently and avoid unexpected breakdowns later.
Proper maintenance helps your air conditioner use less energy to keep cooling costs lower. It can also extend the life of your system by reducing wear and tear on key components.
Regular maintenance also helps identify potential safety concerns early, protecting your home when your system is under added demand.
Get a tuneup ahead of peak cooling season so you know your system is ready when hot weather arrives.
March Tip of the Month: Check out My Home
Monitoring and managing your energy use is one of the easiest ways to make smart choices at home. If you ever wonder why your bill changes from month to month or wish you had a clearer picture of where your energy goes, My Home can help. It’s a free online tool through My Account. It puts all your energy information in one convenient place.
World Energy Efficiency Day is this month, so it’s a fitting time to take a closer look at how your home uses energy, especially as weather shifts. Spring weather can change quickly, bringing warm afternoons one day and cool temperatures or rain the next. These swings can influence how much energy a home uses, often more than people realize.
My Home gives you the tools to see what drives your energy use and identify small changes that make a difference. When you understand how weather affects daily and monthly usage, you can plan and adjust to improve comfort and efficiency.
With just a few clicks, you can start to identify:
- When your energy use typically peaks so you can plan high‑energy use tasks more efficiently.
- Whether certain appliances or routines use more energy than you expect.
- How weather patterns influence your energy use throughout the year.
- Where small adjustments might lead to monthly savings.
These insights can help you make simple decisions that fit your lifestyle. You don’t need to make major upgrades to make a difference. Even one or two simple shifts can add up over time.
February Tip of the Month: Show your pet some energy-saving love
February is all about showing a little extra love, and our pets deserve some too. A few small changes can make a cozy home for your pet and help lower your monthly bill. If you share your home with a snuggly cat or a playful pup, here are some simple, energy-smart ways to keep them comfortable.
- Start with a comfy corner. Pets gravitate toward warm, quiet spots. Create a cozy retreat using blankets, old sweaters or cushioned pet beds away from drafty windows and doors. When pets have a warm place to curl up, you can avoid turning up the thermostat to keep them comfortable. A little insulation goes a long way to make your pet feel safe and relaxed.
- Light their way efficiently. If your pet likes to roam at night, use LED nightlights instead of bright overhead lighting. LEDs use less energy and last longer, providing a soft glow. It’s a small switch that makes your home more efficient and pet friendly.
- Keep them active. Exercise is one of the best ways to keep pets warm – and it’s good for their health. Try different toys, vigorous play sessions and games like hiding treats around the house to encourage movement. When pets stay active, they warm up naturally, which means you rely less on your heating system to keep the whole home comfortable.
Showing your pet love doesn’t have to raise your energy bill. With these simple, practical habits, you can keep them happy, cozy and active while your home runs efficiently.