Introducing: Profiles in Behavior Change
- April 19, 2017
- Heat Smart
We’re starting an occasional new blog series we call “Profiles in Behavior Change.” They’re stories of real people who have proven the Heat Smart approach to energy efficiency works and who shared their stories with us. (For new readers, our approach is a simple one: use our warm woolen blankets and weatherstripping to stay warm and turn the heat down 7-8 degrees to save about 10% on your heating bill, as estimated by the U.S. Energy Information Administration.)
Today we’d like you to meet Valerie, a grandmother of six living on a fixed income in a two-bedroom apartment in Wilmington, North Carolina with electric heat. She started using the Heat Smart program last fall and kept with it all winter.
- What she did: Valerie made up the beds using our quality wool blend blankets and installed our weatherstripping around all the windows and doors to keep the heat in the apartment. She began turning the heat down at night, but soon found that the blankets were so warm she could turn the heat off completely at night.
- How much she saved: Valerie reports saving about $20 per month on her utility bill, proving the approach worked. And, she says she knows more about energy saving now than she did before.
- What the savings meant to her: “With the savings, now when my grandchildren need things, I can help them out with clothes or sneakers. I have six grandchildren and they’re all growing!”
- What she liked: “The best part was saving money on my bill. In addition, the blankets were nice and very warm, I will definitely use them again next winter. I used to have really cold air coming in around my windows but your weatherstripping cut down the drafts and kept the heat from escaping, it really made a difference. I love that.”
- Would she recommend Heat Smart?: “Yes, I’d recommend it to anybody to try the approach, and get the weatherstripping and blankets, because it really works. It’s an easy way to stay warm and save money.”
The result: Now that her energy-use behavior change has proven to save her money and electricity, Valerie is committed to using the Heat Smart approach for many winters to come. Not only did it help her stretch her budget, it helped reduce grid demand for the utility company. Imagine what the reduction in demand would be if everyone took our approach!