Myth Busters

Following are some myths sometimes cited by customers, along with the facts.

MYTH: Energy Select cannot be used effectively if someone is always home during the high price period.

FACT: People who are at home during the weekday can still shift the operation of the water heater and pool pump to lower cost hours with minimal to no impact on their activities. For heating and cooling, the homeowner can pre-heat or pre-cool before a higher price period begins, minimizing consumption during the high price period. In fact, 86 percent of Energy Select participants report that there is someone at home during the summer high period in their household. Of the same group, 97 percent say that they are satisfied or very satisfied with the comfort level of their home, with 84 percent very satisfied.

MYTH: I don't want to change my lifestyle to be on this program.

FACT: The benefit of the programmable thermostat is that you don't have to change your lifestyle. Once you set the thermostat according to your schedule and to the price periods, you don't have to think about it. The thermostat will automatically do all the work, saving energy and your money for you. When surveyed, 81 percent of Energy Select participants say they agree or strongly agree that they have not had to significantly adjust their lifestyle.

MYTH: Pool pumps need to run for 12-hours in the hottest part of the day or 24 hours a day 365 days a year. Therefore, I can't avoid the high price periods in Energy Select.

FACT: Energy Select customers have been successfully operating their pools outside of these two parameters for years without problems. The Spa and Pool Institute, Florida Power and Light and the University of South Florida did a study in the early 1990's on pool pump run time. They found three things were required to keep a pool clean. First, the walls, where algae tend to grow first, have to be cleaned in a timely manner. Second, leaves and other debris have to be removed in a timely manner. Finally, the proper amount of chemicals needs to be maintained regardless of run time. 29 percent of Energy Select participants have pools.

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MYTH: I'm not a good candidate because I have a gas furnace.

FACT: You may not save as much on your electricity bill as a customer with electric heat, but you can still save money with the electric water heater and pool pump if you have them. The Energy Select programmable thermostat can also be used as a set-back thermostat for a gas furnace which will reduce your heating bill.

MYTH: I don't think I'll save that much money.

FACT: 89 percent of Energy Select participants say they are satisfied or very satisfied with their bill savings, with 71 percent very satisfied. The good thing about Energy Select is that you are in control of your energy choices, including how much you save.

MYTH: I use hot water at various times throughout the day, so I would not be able to save any money.

FACT: Customers can take advantage of the fact that their water heater is a storage device. Water can be heated at a lower price and used during the higher price period. If some days more hot water is required, you can temporarily override the settings and heat a tank of water. Using the temporary overrides on an occasional basis will not erode overall savings.

• 95 percent of Energy Select participants say they are satisfied or very satisfied with the program.
• 94 percent are satisfied or very satisfied with the control they have over their electricity purchases
• 89 percent say they would recommend Energy Select to others.

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