In this part of North Carolina, Brunswick Electric members often see a spike in their energy usage levels when there are extreme variations in temperatures, like the record-low temperatures in our area in the early part of 2018. Rather than waiting to see your bill the following month, we recommend you download the SmartHub app so you can keep a close eye on your daily usage amounts. This way you can see how much energy you’re using each day and make adjustments in your routine to help lower those amounts. 

Tracking your usage may also help you spot a problem in your home that may need attention, such as an HVAC system that is operating incorrectly. For instance, in extreme cold temperatures your HVAC may operate under “auxiliary” or “emergency” heat while it tries to maintain the temperature set on the thermostat. Sometimes these systems become stuck in this mode and you may not even notice it until you receive your bill the next month and find it significantly higher than expected. But if you’re tracking your usage in SmartHub and it has been warm outside, but you’re still using the same amount of energy as you were on a really cold day, then you may notice there’s a problem that needs attention sooner rather than later. 

SmartHub is easy to use; just download it from the app store on your mobile device and create a username and password. From there you can view your usage each day or month, compare usage from year to year or month to month, and view and pay your bill. The program works in near real time and is available to all Brunswick Electric members at no charge.