Posted on: 09-10-2012 at 5:17pm
By Marketing Communications Editor Brian Hale
As the calendar switches to September, exciting events return to the horizon. Stadiums welcome the return of frenzied fans, parkways of summer green evolve to autumn auras, flashing school zones emerge from summer hibernation and Mother Nature ushers in relief from summer’s grasp.
Whatever your preferred part of autumn’s arrival, the fall feels refreshing. As cooler breezes blow and temperatures begin to drop, Stream Energy is refreshing our rates.
Effective last week, Stream Energy dropped rates in most of our service areas across Texas, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and New Jersey. The perfect beginning to fall is already in full force.
In Texas, fall is still in its infancy as many cities saw temperatures topping 100º for much of last week. As a cold front arrived, so did lower Texas rates. Lower rates were also seen in the Northeast territories, as well as in Georgia.
So as September succulence begins to sink in, Stream Energy customers can keep focused on pigskin players, pumpkins and helping with homework.
As your best friend’s energy company, we know your time is precious because we’re husbands and mothers, too. So, get back to what’s important and we’ll take care of your energy needs with great rates that you don’t have to think twice about and customer service you’ll want to brag about.
From our family to yours, enjoy the upcoming autumn and don’t forget to start off your September succulence with a great new low rate from Stream Energy—your best friend’s energy company.
Posted on: 06-27-2012 at 9:20pm
Summer is officially here and much of the nation has already felt the heat. To help you beat the heat, we’ve provided 11 basic energy-saving tips that will help lower your energy costs this summer. Learn about these great tips below and download the printable version when you’re finished to check them off the list!
1. Pick the Stream Energy pricing plan that makes sense for you. <br>
Whether you’re looking for peace of mind and price security or a no-commitment variable rate plan,
choosing the right plan is extremely important and should be the first item you check to ensure you are
taking advantage of the best offers available.
2. Set your thermostat to the highest (or lowest) temperature setting that will
still let you be comfortable.
In the summer, 78-80 degrees should be the goal when you’re at home and 85 degrees or higher when
you’re out. With hot weather, use fans when possible to help you feel more comfortable when you’re in
the room. They can make the room feel up to five degrees cooler and use a fraction of the energy that
your AC does. You can also automate the process by installing an ENERGY STAR® compliant
programmable thermostat. This will allow you to have the perfect temperature whenever you’re home
and save money when you’re out.
3. Replace the five most used incandescent light bulbs with Compact
Fluorescent Lights (CFL).
Identify all the light bulbs (60 – 100W) around your house that are normally used at least 10 minutes at a
time and begin to exchange them out for CFLs. CFL bulbs use 75% less electricity, produce 90% less
heat and will last up to 10 years compared to a standard incandescent bulb.
4. Turn off all lights, fans, TVs, computers and other electronics when not in
Use.
Electronic appliances are silent users of electricity, even when they are not being used. Electricity is still being consumed to power all components, even the pilot light. The easiest way to control your
electronics is to purchase and use power strips. They allow you to plug in a number of items and turn
them all off at one time. Depending on the quality, they can also help protect your electronics from
potentially damaging power surges. Don’t forget to unplug cell-phone and other chargers too!
5. Start to weatherize and seal your home.
If you have a fireplace, make sure the damper is closed in the summer so you’re not losing cool air up
the chimney. If there are drafts coming in or around your windows and doors, then consider installing
weather stripping. Seal cracks and places where plumbing or electrical items enter the house or come
through the ceiling. If accessible, look for and seal leaks in your duct work with mastic or the proper UL
rated tape (not duct tape!).
6. Lower (or raise) the energy “load” on your home.
Close curtains and blinds in sunny areas, especially on west or south facing windows in hot weather, and
open them in cold weather. Landscape the outer perimeter of your home so that your air conditioning unit
is shaded but has sufficient air circulation, because it reduces radiant heat. Planting deciduous trees
helps cool the home during the summer from the tree’s shade, and allows light to penetrate through
during the winter.
7. Check the air conditioning filter every month and change if needed.
Dirty air filters prevent efficient airflow throughout your HVAC system, and as such, can cause your AC
unit to run longer and possibly even shorten the lifespan of various parts. Therefore, regularly replacing
your air filters will ensure cleaner air for you and your family to breathe as well as preventing your ducts from clogging and filling up with various dust particles. Also, be sure to check around your outside unit so that grass, leaves and dirt aren’t blocking the air conditioner coils and fins, as well.
8. Set your water heater to “Medium” or a baseline of 130 degrees.
You may be able to set it even lower if your dishwasher has a pre-heater. If you’re used to long showers
(more than 5-10 minutes), save by shortening the time spent showering by setting the heater to run out
of comfortably warm water by the time you’ve finished.
9. Wash clothes in cold water and wash full loads whenever possible.
80-90% of energy costs for washing clothes involve heating water for hot or warm cycles. Cold water
detergents do just as well in almost all cases.
10. Use the automatic drying setting on your dryer rather than timed drying
and dry full loads.
By using the timer setting, you run the risk of over-drying your clothes (potentially damaging them). Don’t forget to clean the lint trap after every load; that leads to airflow efficiency which means longer life on your unit.
11. Turn off the Heated Dry setting on your dishwasher and let the dishes air
dry inside.
Wash full loads here as well.
Make sure you download the printable file to check off these great tips as you complete them!
Posted on: 08-03-2011 at 5:35pm
Your friends at Stream Energy want to help you look for ways to maximize your savings and conserve energy while still staying cool this summer.
Pick the Stream Energy pricing plan that makes sense for you. Whether you’re looking for peace of mind and price security or a no-commitment variable rate plan, choosing the right plan is extremely important and should be the first item you check to ensure you are taking advantage of the best offers available.
Set your thermostat to the highest (or lowest) temperature setting that will still let you be comfortable. In the summer, 78-80 degrees should be the goal when you’re at home and 85 degrees or higher when you’re out. With hot weather, use fans when possible to help you feel more comfortable when you’re in the room. They can make the room feel up to five degrees cooler and use a fraction of the energy that your AC does.
Turn off all lights, fans, TVs, computers and other electronics when not in use. Electronic appliances are silent users of electricity, even when they are not being used. Electricity is still being consumed to power all components, even the pilot light. The easiest way to control your electronics is to purchase and use power strips.
Start to weatherize and seal your home. If you have a fireplace, make sure the damper is closed in the summer so you’re not losing cool air up the chimney. If there are drafts coming in or around your windows and doors, then consider installing weather stripping. Seal cracks and places where plumbing or electrical items enter the house or come through the ceiling.
Lower (or raise) the energy “load” on your home. Close curtains and blinds in sunny areas, especially on west or south facing windows in hot weather, and open them in cold weather. Landscape the outer perimeter of your home so that your air conditioning unit is shaded but has sufficient air circulation, because it reduces radiant heat.
Check the air conditioning filter every month and change if needed. Dirty air filters prevent efficient airflow throughout your HVAC system, and as such, can cause your AC unit to run longer and possibly even shorten the lifespan of various parts. Therefore, regularly replacing your air filters will ensure cleaner air for you and your family to breathe as well as preventing your ducts from clogging and filling up with various dust particles.
Set your water heater to “Medium” or a baseline of 130 degrees. You may be able to set it even lower if your dishwasher has a pre-heater. If you’re used to long showers (more than 5-10 minutes), save by shortening the time spent showering by setting the heater to run out of comfortably warm water by the time you’ve finished.
Wash clothes in cold water and wash full loads whenever possible. 80-90% of energy costs for washing clothes involve heating water for hot or warm cycles. Cold water detergents do just as well in almost all cases.
Use the automatic drying setting on your dryer rather than timed drying and dry full loads. By using the timer setting, you run the risk of over-drying your clothes (potentially damaging them). Don’t forget to clean the lint trap after every load; that leads to airflow efficiency which means longer life on your unit.
Turn off the Heated Dry setting on your dishwasher and let the dishes air dry inside. Wash full loads here as well.
Turn on your old, inefficient fridge in the garage only for those few occasions when you need extra room to store stuff. It takes extra energy to run a refrigerator or freezer in a non-air conditioned area. Add to that the age of the appliance – if it is old, then the extra monthly energy costs could be significant.
Keep your refrigerator closed while deciding what to eat. Each time you open the fridge door, the compressor has to run for eight to 10 minutes to keep the cold inside.
If your dryer has a moisture sensor, clean it occasionally to keep the waxy build-up from dryer softening sheets from impeding the sensor’s ability to detect moisture.
If you’re thinking about purchasing a new or additional computer, then consider buying a laptop – they are less power-hungry than desktops. A laptop typically uses less than 20 % of the energy an average desktop does with an LCD monitor and as little as 14% of what a desktop with an old-fashioned CRT monitor will use.
When buying new electronics or appliances, look for the ENERGY STAR® label which can be found on many different products such as TVs, computers, cell phones, washers and many more. The ENERGY STAR label is the industry’s leading brand for certifying that electronic appliances are energy efficient.
Install and use dimmer or motion detector switches where possible. They can reduce energy usage for an area by 40-50%. Don’t forget to dust your light bulbs periodically. Dust can cut 20% or more of the light they emit.