With a winter storm possibly in the forecast, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is busy making preparations.   We encourage you to also prepare now for the possibility of weather-related problems.  We urge everyone to make necessary preparations including:


ž   Be sure you have an ample supply of firewood, blankets, non-perishable foods and water.

ž   If you or someone in your household is dependent upon life support, have an alternate power source available or identify a location you can move to that has an alternate power source.

ž   Check backup generators for proper operations and remember to carefully follow generator safety precautions including NOT operating a generator indoors.

ž   Above all, we want to ask you to be safe - STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES.  Consider them all to be live and dangerous.  Call DETEC at 1-800-392-5986 to report downed lines and outages.

Should outages be experienced, our crews will be working to restore power as quickly and safely as possible.

Please report all outages, by calling: 1-800-392-5986

CONSERVE NOW, SAVE LATER!

The winter of 2013-2014 was a cold and long winter that seemed would never end - a winter that was recorded as the 20th coldest winter on record, dating all the way back to 1906!  After a fairly mild early December, we are experiencing another January that bears much colder than normal temperatures.  It is similar to what we saw in January of 2014.

As we enter this winter season, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative would like to remind members that unlike many of your other needs such as groceries and gasoline - electricity is paid for after it is consumed.  With this in mind, DETEC would like to encourage members to conserve now to lessen the impact of higher-than-normal bills should we experience another cold and long winter.
Although there are many things that co-op members can do to reduce their electricity usage during cold weather and save money on their power bill, we've tried to list the most helpful -

*         Use Space Heaters Sparingly

-          Space heaters are great to warm one portion of a room, but they do not have circulating fans to accommodate entire rooms (or homes) efficiently.  Using a space heater for 12 hours in a day can increase your electric bill by as much as $2 - $3 per day (or $60 to $90 per month).


*         Turn down your thermostat

-          Keeping your thermostat setting around 68 degrees during the winter time and using more blankets and clothing can make a very large difference in your electric bill.

-          On cold nights, even though your house temperature is constant, your heater has to make up the difference between a low or dropping outside temperature.

-          Turning down your thermostat can save you up to 3-5% per degree on your heating bill.

-          Even if you are gone from your home for extended periods of time, your furnace continues to run and will run more often during periods of cold weather.  This can significantly increase your monthly heating bill, even in your absence.


*         Keep shades and curtains open during the day on the south side of your home to allow solar heating.  Close them at night to retain heat.


*         Close the fireplace damper when not in use.



*         Install an insulating water heater jacket

-          The water coming into your pipes is much colder and requires more energy to warm it to the proper temperature.

-          The amount of insulation in the sides of a water heater is insufficient during the winter months.  If you don't add insulation, the heating element has to run much more often to maintain the water temperature.  Water heater jackets are fairly inexpensive and available at most local hardware stores.


You may also check out www.TogetherWeSave.com<http://www.TogetherWeSave.com> for more information on what you can do to keep your monthly electric bills affordable.

Member Service representatives are available to discuss bills and payment options with you, but in order to assist you as best as possible, please call the office once you realize that you may need to make payment arrangements prior to your bill due date.

Local: 936-229-4000
Toll-Free: 1-866-392-2547