Consumers Energy Offers Suggestions and Programs to Help Households Lower Summer Energy Bills

JACKSON, Mich., June 21, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- With summer officially arriving today, Consumers Energy is offering ideas to help Michigan households lower their monthly energy bills and usage.

"Michigan residents should know they can take simple steps in their homes or workplaces every day to reduce energy waste and lower their bills," said Lauren Youngdahl Snyder, Consumers Energy's vice president of customer experience. "Consumers Energy is committed to helping people stay in control of their energy use and still stay comfortable, even on summer's hottest days."

Consumers Energy encourages electric customers to sign up for one of its Peak Power Savers^® programs, which can help lower energy bills:

• Time of Use: Sign up for rates that can cut your energy bill by using less when others are using more. Customers can pay a lower rate during certain hours all year long, especially nights and weekends. By shifting energy-related activities to designated hours, customers have the opportunity to save every day. Additionally, customers can save even more on the days when energy use is expected to be extremely high.
• AC Peak Cycling: Customers can allow central air conditioning units to be cycled at certain times on the hottest weekdays of the year, typically four hours or less. Customers receive monthly credits on their energy bill in June through September.

More than 57,000 Michigan households participate in these programs, which launched in early 2017. Learn more at www.PeakPowerSavers.com or by calling 877-789-9883.

Youngdahl Snyder also offered seven tips to help reduce summer energy use:

1. If you have central air conditioning, clean leaves and debris from the unit and away from the compressor because they can block airflow. Clean the filter regularly. Dusty filters make your air conditioner work harder.
2. Set your thermostat at 78 degrees when you're home and higher when you're away. Install an automatic setback or programmable thermostat that starts your air conditioner shortly before you get home. Consumers Energy offers rebates of up to $100 on Wi-Fi enabled thermostats.
3. Close drapes, shades and blinds during the day to prevent the sun from heating your home unnecessarily. Open windows and doors in early morning and in the evening to let cooler air in.
4. Make sure to seal and insulate your home. Reducing air leakage can be just as important to keep cool in the summer as to stay warm in the winter. Information about rebates for air sealing, insulation and windows is available at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/myhome or by calling 866-234-0445.
5. Operate your stove, oven, dishwasher and clothes dryer in the morning or evening when it's cooler outside. They add extra heat to your home and make your air conditioner work harder.
6. Keep cool with fans. A ceiling fan cools fast and costs less than air conditioning. You can also reduce the need for air conditioning by installing an attic fan.
7. Replace or tune up your old air conditioning equipment and receive rebates ranging from $50 to $500. Go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com/myhome or call 866-234-0445 to choose a participating contractor, who will install equipment, perform tune-ups and submit the rebate application for you.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest energy provider, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.7 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

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SOURCE Consumers Energy

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