Winter Doesn’t Have to be Cold

Every Michigander deserves a safe, warm home this heating season – and we’re committed to making that a reality for all our neighbors. While a Michigan winter is inescapable, we’re here to help you prepare with a variety of assistance programs, budget options and energy saving solutions to get you through the cold months ahead.    

Whether you’ve sought help in the past, need an extra hand for the first time or want to help others, support is available right here in Michigan.   

Financial Assistance: Free, private help is available to guide you through finding and applying for financial assistance in your community. Connect with local organizations that can help with energy and other bills, food banks, shelter and more. Visit mi211.org for live online help or call 2-1-1 or 844-875-9211 from any phone. A live person takes calls 24 hours a day (every day – including holidays). Bilingual resource specialists and translation services are available in over 180 languages.  

Consumers Energy Budget Plan: Open to residential customers with past due balances up to $75, you can enroll any time for a consistent year-round payment. At the end of the year, whether you have used less energy than you paid for or more, we’ll make sure your payment arrangement is correct. 

Energy Gift Certificates: As we round the corner to another long winter, and with the costs of everything rising, you may be wondering how you can make a bigger impact for others. Energy gift certificates – or paying a portion (or all) of someone’s Consumers Energy bill – might be a practical and impactful way to help your loved ones this time of year. There are a few ways you can help. All you need is the name of the person or organization and the associated address. Once you have that, you can purchase an energy gift certificate in increments of $10, $20, $25 or $50, or you can pay a portion of someone’s bill online (as a guest without needing to log in). Get started here.

Home Solutions: Now’s the time to ensure your home is ready for the winter weather. Keep the heat where it belongs by taking advantage of these energy saving solutions available to you:

• Replace drafty windows – you could earn up to $15 per eligible window you install.
• Consider adding more insulation – you can claim up to $475 in rebates.
• Keep your furnace healthy by scheduling a comprehensive furnace tune-up with a participating contractor and get $65 back – or get up to $500 if you need to replace your furnace altogether.
• Or you can take the whole home approach to energy efficiency. Schedule a comprehensive home assessment to receive custom tips on how you can save energy and earn up to $3,750 in rebates.

Learn more about these rebate options that help offset the cost of improvements and save you money and energy here.

Easy Energy Saving Tips: By reducing energy waste in your home, you can spend less on your energy bills each month. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you save energy this winter without sacrificing your comfort or your wallet.

• Slay the energy vampires. Every day your electronics could be continually running up your energy bill by drawing small amounts of electricity, even when they’re switched off. That’s why we call them energy vampires. Using a smart power strip can help keep energy vampires at bay with built in features that are designed to reduce the amount of energy used by many electronics.
• Install window insulation. Not ready to make window upgrades? Seal out drafts with a deluxe window insulation kit to help save on heating costs. Shop discounted kits through our Online Store.
• Reverse your ceiling fan. Make sure to change your ceiling fan settings. Running it clockwise on a low setting will keep hot air from rising, pushing the warm air down toward you.
• Lower your thermostat. Save 1-3% on heating costs for every degree you dial down.
• Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat. If you’re heating your house when you’re not home, you’re wasting money and energy. Consider upgrading to a smart thermostat. Installing one could save you about $50 per year on average (source: EnergyStar.gov) just by learning your schedule and comfort preferences. Shop our Online Store for instant smart thermostat rebates.

Winter Safety: And last but certainly not least, as temperatures fall, and your home heating system use increases, Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning becomes more of a concern. CO is an odorless, colorless, tasteless and deadly gas and symptoms of CO poisoning can easily be mistaken for the flu. Seek prompt medical attention if you think you may have been exposed and feel dizzy, light-headed, nauseous or have a headache. If you suspect CO poisoning, leave the area immediately and call 9-1-1. Knowledge is power - learn how to prevent and detect carbon monoxide poisoning.   

Still looking for more ways to lower your energy bills? Last winter, our team sat down with MLive’s Eric Hultgren to talk about the ways we’re here to help our community members. To learn more, watch this vlog.