Consumers Energy’s Program Helps Residents Save Energy & Lower Their Electric Bill

Does your electric bill leave you surprised, too? It’s not the rates – it’s the usage!

Every time I get my home energy report, I wonder how we can be using all this energy and if there’s anything I can do to use less.

On days my husband works from home, that meter is running in overdrive. He’s got dual monitors, a phone and other gadgets needed to do his job.

Add in kids doing school from home more (delightful kids who don’t understand how to turn off a light when they leave the room!), and virtual connectivity allowing us to zoom family from far away, and we’ve got a recipe for overwhelming electric use.

And I know you’re feeling the rise in usage, too. So what can we do?

Consumer’s Energy Has Noticed Your Increased Usage, and Has Ways to Help

The first thing to do is call Consumers Energy for a FREE Home Energy Analysis.

Their Home Energy Analysis program helps customers begin their energy saving journey without making other sacrifices.

(Meaning, you don’t have to suddenly stop working from home or start using a clothesline instead of the dryer.)

It’s all a part of the Clean Energy Plan to make energy use more sustainable, affordable, and reliable.

You could score free LED bulbs, LED nightlights, shower heads and more, which will all help you use less energy.

Thousands of Michigan residents have already gotten their FREE home analysis and have been saving money while conserving energy.

If you haven’t signed up for this yet, here’s how it works.

Save an Average of $150/Year With the Home Energy Analysis Program

The Home Energy Analysis program is designed to help you uncover energy waste in your home and provide improvements to keep your home comfortable year-round.

You might have a leaky faucet. Poor hot water heater insulation. Traditional lightbulbs that burn more energy than LED bulbs.

There are many small ways that energy can be wasted in a home.

When you sign up for this free program, a Consumers Energy representative will walk though your home and assess your energy use and make recommendations for improvements, including supplying indoor and outdoor LED bulbs and nightlights.

By incorporating these energy saving products into your home, you can save an average of $150 per year on your energy bills.

Nearly Anyone Can Sign Up for this Free Program

Any homeowner or single-dwelling renter (not in a shared access apartment building) who is an electric customer of Consumers Energy is eligible for this program.

If that’s you, head to the Home Energy Analysis website to register.

Fill in the form with basic information including the type of residence, service you receive from Consumers Energy and your address.

Then you pick a day and time that works best for you and submit the form. That’s it!

What to Expect at Your Appointment

At your scheduled appointment, a trained energy technician from Consumers Energy will arrive at your home.

The technician will review your home’s energy use and look over your basement, furnace, water heater, refrigerator, AC unit and window insulation.

The energy technician will also examine the exhaust fan in the bathroom, run gas leak tests on qualifying appliances, check for carbon monoxide (CO) throughout the home and even check the attic insulation.

Opt to Receive High Quality LED Bulbs + More

Following the initial review of your home’s energy use, the tech will replace your old, inefficient bulbs with LED bulbs both inside and outside your home. They’ll also place LED nightlights throughout your home.

If you have an electric water heater, you may also receive pipe wrap, showerheads and faucet aerators.

The water saving products are high quality and will continue providing you with great water pressure.

By installing these products to make water use more efficient, you use less hot water and therefore, less energy to heat your water tank.

Customers are not required to change anything in or outside of the home. If you love your showerheads or have special bulbs you wish to keep installed, you can keep using them.

Consumers Energy will not change anything that you don’t want replaced.

Review Your Home Energy Analysis to Find More Ways to Save

The Consumers Energy technician will go over a report of their findings with you as soon as they’ve finished the appointment. You’ll receive a copy through email within 48 hours and in your mailbox within a week.

The customized report will also have tips for conserving energy in the future.

You are not required to do anything further. However, if you’d like to continue on your energy-saving journey, your report will offer ways you can continue saving energy and money.

I Want to Participate, But I Don’t Want Someone in My House

If you’re not comfortable with having someone in your home, Consumers Energy also provides a virtual appointment option.

With this option you can talk with a technician over the phone and answer their questions. Afterwards, the report is mailed to you as well as a customized energy saving kit to install the replacements yourself.

Be prepared to answer questions about the age and functionality of your furnace, water heater and other appliances as well as how many lightbulbs you have in your home.

What’s the Catch?

So what’s the catch? How much is the hidden fee?

There isn’t one.

The Home Energy Analysis and everything you receive from it are completely free. No surprise charges on your next bill. No service call fees.

Consumers Energy prides itself on providing great service to customers and that includes helping us be mindful of our energy footprint.

They are leading the way in being the “Force of Change” to reduce the carbon footprint of all Michiganders to protect our natural resources for generations to come.

Reducing our energy consumption lowers our bills and reduces the amount of resources Consumers Energy needs to provide electricity to its customers.

It’s a win for everyone.