Farmers Electric Cooperative strives to bring value to our members by helping them better manage their energy usage. One of those methods is through our Energy Rebate Program. This program is unmatched by any other Texas co-op and is another way we help you save money on the things that save energy.

LEARN AND FIND MORE MONEY SAVING REBATES ONLINE AT: FarmersElectric.coop.

EFFICIENCY HUB

Save money this winter with an HVAC tune-up.We make it easy with a $50 HVAC Tune-Up Rebate.

YOU’RE IN POWER.903 455 1715 | FarmersElectric.coop |

FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

CO-OP NEWS

Tips to stay comfortable this winter.

by MARK STUBBSGeneral Manager

TAKE CHARGE. FIND MORE MONEY SAVING ENERGY TIPS AT: FarmersElectric.coop

POWER BEYOND PAYMENTSMore than just a payment portal, SmartHub is powerful tool for monitoring and managing your energy usage securely, from anywhere.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE SMARTHUB APP FOR APPLE OR ANDROID AT FarmersElectric.coop.

TRACK Get a detailed look at past and current usage. This data can also be viewed with weather trends by month or day.

ANALYZE Review two bill histories side-by-side to monitor differences between the same month from the previous year.

MONITOR TRENDS Monthly averages can be monitored while viewing daily usage patterns along with the days of the billing period.

So you’ve beefed up the insulation in your home, but it still feels a bit chilly. What more can you do? Actually, there are many additional steps you can take to warm up your home and your family. An important piece of the comfort puzzle is radiant heat, which transfers heat from a warm surface to a colder one. A room that’s

70 degrees can still feel uncomfortably chilly if there’s a cold surface nearby, like a single-pane window, hardwood floor or an exterior wall. Covering these cold surfaces can help. Try using area rugs, wall quilts, tapestries, bookcases and heavy curtains to help prevent heat loss and make your home feel more comfortable. Use radiant heat to your advantage: A dark-colored tile floor that receives several hours of direct sun can retain heat during the day and radiate it into the room during the evening. Another possible cause of discomfort during winter is air movement. We recognize this when weather forecasts report wind chill factor, which is a calculation combining temperature and wind speed. Moving air makes us feel colder, which is why we use fans in the summer. But during the winter, cold, outdoor air can infiltrate our homes. On average, a typical home loses about half its air every hour, and that amount can increase when outdoor conditions are extremely cold and windy. In this case, the best way to keep your home toasty is to minimize air leaks.

These are some of the most common spots air leaks occur: • Penetrations and cracks around windows and doors. • Exterior cracks in brickwork and siding. • Plumbing and wiring penetrations from the

exterior to the interior of the home. • Mail slots or pet doors. A variety of products, like caulk, weatherstripping, outlet gaskets and dryer vent covers, can be used to seal these leaks. Your pursuit of comfort should also include a careful look at your home’s heating system. Is it distributing heat evenly and efficiently? Forced-air systems distribute air through supply ducts and registers. Small rooms may have only one register, but large rooms could have several. You may find some supply registers are blowing copious amounts of warm air and others little at all. Ideally, every room should have return air registers. If you see possible shortcomings with your forced-air system, give us a call at 903.455.1715 so we can schedule an appointment for a FREE Home Energy Assessment. Ensure your furnace is running at peak efficiency by scheduling an annual inspection. And don’t forget about our rebate for HVAC tune-ups. Check your filter monthly and replace or clean it as necessary. Beyond that, you can always warm up by wearing heavier clothing, doing some light exercise throughout the day, and snuggling with a pet or under a blanket. By taking some of these small steps, you can enjoy a more comfortable winter at home.

FARMERS ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE

CO-OP NEWS

This month we continue our winter prep with information about one of the

most cost effective investment you can make to help save energy and money:

insulation. Current long-term weather forecasting is predicting a very cold winter

in East Texas and this means increased heating and an increased energy bills.

You're going to spend money this winter one way or the other. Instead of paying

higher energy bills with no return, why not invest money to help reduce your

energy bills in winter and every winter ahead? Here you will find a high-level

overview about insulation, links to more in-depth information, free services,

and programs offered by Farmers EC to help you save this winter.

ATTIC INSULATIONLoose-fill or batt insulation is typically installed in an attic. Loose-fill insulation is typically less expensive to install than batt insulation, and provides better coverage when installed properly. To find out if you have enough attic insulation, measure the thickness of the insulation. If it is less than R-30 (11 inches of fiberglass or rock wool or 8 inches of cellulose), you could probably benefit by adding more. Before insulating, seal any air leaks and make roof and other necessary repairs. If it is located in a conditioned part of the house, also remember to insulate and air seal your attic access.

DUCT INSULATIONIf the ducts in your home are in an unconditioned space, seal and insulate them. If you’re building a new house, place ducts in the conditioned space to avoid the energy losses associated with most duct systems.

Insulation 101Preparing for winter.

INSULATIONRESOURCES HOW INSULATION WORKSLearn about conduction, convection, and radiation and how insulation is used to control these mechanisms of heat flow. You will also learn about R-Values, thermal resistance, and how insulation is rated for use in different temperate zones.

energy.gov/energysaver/insulation

INSULATION TYPESThere are as many types of insulation as there are home styles. Choosing the right type for the right usage is important. Here is a quick resource for learning about the different types of insulation for your home.

energy.gov/energysaver/types-insulation

FARMERS ECRESOURCES FREE HOME ENERGY ASSESSMENTCreate a more energy-efficient home with a Farmers EC FREE Home Energy Assessment. Our professional auditor will visit your home to assess your situation and show you how to save, now and in the long run. Let us help clear the way to a more efficient home.

REBATES & INCENTIVESSave money on the things that save energy! Right now, get rebates directly from Farmers EC when you invest in a number of different energy-saving technologies and upgrades, including insulation, electric water heaters, and more.

TAKE CHARGE. LEARN MORE ABOUT ENERGY AUDITS AND REBATES AT: FarmersElectric.coop

HOLIDAY HOURS Farmers EC offices will be closed for the following holidays. Crews will be on standby in case of outages:

Nov. 11 for Veterans DayNov. 28-29 for Thanksgiving

POWER TIP When you’re going to sleep or out of the house, turn your thermostat back 10–15 degrees. Doing so for eight hours can save 10 percent on heating and cooling bills. A programmable thermostat makes it easy to “set it and forget it!”

DID YOU KNOW? The most energy-intensive part of the food supply chain is the kitchen. Much more energy is used to refrigerate and prepare food in the home than is used to produce it in the first place.

2020 GOVERNMENT-IN-ACTION YOUTH TOUR June 17-26, 2020 | Washington D.C.

A fun and educational opportunity for sophomore, junior, or senior high school students who are civic and history minded living in the Farmers EC service area.

Apply at: FarmersElectric.coopApplication Deadline: Dec. 13, 2019

REMINDER Be sure to roll your clocks back an hour.

Nov. 3 Daylight Saving Time

ODDS & ENDSEXTERIOR WALL INSULATIONIf your attic has enough insulation and proper air sealing, and your home still feels drafty and cold in the winter or too warm in the summer, chances are you need to add insulation to the exterior walls. This is more expensive and usually requires a contractor. If you are thinking of replacing the exterior siding on your home, consider adding insulation at the same time.

In an existing home, consider using blow-in insulation, which, when installed with the dense pack technique, will provide significant air sealing. It can be added to exterior walls without much disturbance to finished areas of your home. If you’re remodeling and your wall cavities will be open, look into two-part spray foam or wet spray cellulose insulation.

FLOORS ABOVE UNHEATED GARAGESWhen insulating floors above unconditioned garages, first seal all possible sources of air leakage. This strategy has the added benefit of minimizing the danger of contaminants (from car exhaust, paint, solvents, gardening supplies, etc.) in the garage migrating into the conditioned space. Also install an air barrier to prevent cold air in the garage from “short circuiting” the insulation underneath the subfloor.

CRAWLSPACE INSULATIONIf you have an unventilated crawlspace, the best approach is to seal and insulate the foundation walls rather than the floor between the crawlspace and the house. This strategy has the advantage of keeping piping and ductwork within the conditioned volume of the house so these building components don’t require insulation for energy efficiency or protection against freezing. The downside of this strategy is that rodents, pests, or water can damage the insulation and the crawlspace must be built airtight and the air barrier maintained. It’s best to locate the access door to the crawlspace inside the home through the subfloor unless you build and maintain an airtight, insulated access door in the perimeter wall.

SLAB-ON-GRADE INSULATIONCold concrete slabs can be a source of discomfort in a home. An insulated slab is easier to heat, and placing the mass of the slab within your home’s thermal envelope helps moderate indoor temperatures. Insulating a slab in an existing home can be expensive and disruptive, but if the slab in your home is cold, it is possible to dig around the perimeter of the house and install insulation, usually foam board. In most parts of the United States, insulating the exterior edge of a slab can reduce heating bills by 10% to 20%.