No matter your job, a business owner lives in your house: you! As a member of your local electric cooperative, you are actually an owner (a member-consumer) of the organization! Electric cooperatives sprang up across the U.S. in the 1930s as towns and cities across the nation gained access to electricity. The Rural Electrification Act… Continue reading.

Air leaks around the home can add 10 percent to your heating bill. Find the leaks in your house and plug them. Some places to look: Windows. On a windy day, light a stick of incense and hold it near the window. If the smoke travels horizontally, your window is leaking. Seal, caulk or weather… Continue reading.

Just as you tune up your car for the winter, you also need to tune up your heating system for the cold weather. Here are some things you can do to ensure your comfort and safety this winter.  Have a professional check out your furnace to ensure its safety, especially if you use gas, propane… Continue reading.

For many people, Labor Day is a day of rest. For others, it’s a day to catch up on outdoor home projects before the season changes. Faulty extension cords are often a source of injury when working outside. So are metal ladders coming into contact with an electrical source. By following the tips below, you… Continue reading.

Late summer and early fall often bring tornadoes and floods to our part of the country. That’s why it’s smart to take precautions with your home’s electrical system. Keep in mind that debris from storms can easily ignite if it comes into contact with downed power lines, especially if electrical wires are severed. Also, standing… Continue reading.

Most of us use electricity, either directly or indirectly, at almost all times. Because electricity is so abundant and available with the simple flip of a switch, it’s easy to take it for granted.  According to the Energy Information Agency (EIA), the typical U.S. household now uses more air conditioning, appliances and consumer electronics than… Continue reading.

Have you ever noticed your lights blink during a thunderstorm? Or perhaps you’ve noticed a blinking microwave clock when you arrive home. When this happens, you’ve likely experienced a brief disruption to your electric service, which could result from a power surge or blink. While the symptoms of surges and blinks can appear similar, what’s… Continue reading.

You go shopping for a new refrigerator, and you’re on a budget. The best buy is the fridge with the lowest sales price, right? Not necessarily. The reason? The cost of owning a home appliance has three components: the initial purchase price, the cost of repairs and maintenance, and the cost to operate it. To… Continue reading.

These dog days of summer might have you considering putting those loitering summer sunrays to work making electricity for your home. Advances in technology have helped make the cost of solar energy more affordable. More people than ever before are considering adding solar panels to their home. But before you contact a solar panel sales… Continue reading.

On June 8, the board of trustees for Operation Round Up, a community service program of Heartland REMC, approved three grants.  The following grant applications were approved: Wabash County Christmas Spirit Foundation– Gifts for Children, $1,000 Parkview Huntington Family YMCA – CPR Training Equipment, $1055.58 Community Cares of Wells County – Freezer, $700 These grants… Continue reading.

BY GARRETT KEISER After working  in the backyard, a swimming pool provides the perfect summer retreat. But who wants it to be a wallet drain? Soak up these pool efficiency tips to save money while maintaining your personal, pristine oasis. Each pool is equipped with an energy guzzler: the pump. The bigger the pump, the… Continue reading.