Wintry weather often brings slick roads, icy sidewalks and increased energy use as we turn up the heat to stay nice and cozy in our homes. Weather plays a major role in how much energy we use. Furnaces bring in the cold air from outside and warm it up to the temperature set on the thermostat. When the mercury dips low, our heating systems must work harder to maintain a steady temperature.
Because increased energy use can result in higher energy bills, here are three easy tips from LG&E and KU to help better manage both during the winter season.
- Set your thermostat – If you have a programmable thermostat, you can set it lower when no one is home to maximize energy savings. Setting the thermostat to the lowest comfortable setting can help, and even just one degree can make a difference.
- Use your ceiling fans – Set ceiling fans to run clockwise on low speed in the winter to circulate heat more efficiently. This creates an updraft that helps move warm air near the ceiling back out and around the room.
- Don’t block the heat – Open curtains and blinds on sun-facing windows to allow the sun’s rays to help naturally heat your home. Make sure registers are not blocked by drapes or furniture so warm air can easily circulate.
For more tips and videos to help guide you through weatherization techniques, visit our tips page.
LG&E and KU mobile app
When winter storms strike, stay informed with the LG&E and KU mobile app, which conveniently puts useful information in one place, accessible right from a mobile device. LG&E, KU and ODP customers who use the utilities’ “My Account” online services can use the same information to log in to the app – immediately providing the ability to securely view the utilities’ online outage map, report outages, view account information, pay bills, and more – just by using the app.
You can download the free app from the App Store and Google Play Store. Once downloaded, those who are not customers can use the app as a “guest” to access the utilities’ online outage map. Visit lge-ku.com/app to download the app and learn more about its functionality.
