Energy Doctor FAQ

Content Query

My ComEd bill is very high! What can I do to reduce my energy usage?

The ComEd® Energy Efficiency Program offers a variety of ways to save energy including rebates, discounts, recycling and assessments. A home energy assessment is a good start. Once you schedule an appointment, an energy advisor will visit your home, offer personalized tips on ways to save, and install free energy-saving products like programmable thermostats, LEDs and advanced power strips. You can receive discounts and free installation on products such as smart thermostats.

To learn more visit: ComEd.com/Assessment. If you are interested in having an assessment performed, call 1-855-433-2700 to schedule an appointment.

There are also tips on the ComEd website that can help you save energy and reduce your electric bill. If you have created an online ComEd account, you can find these tips at ComEd.com/Tips. To make these tips more relevant to you, log in to My Account and complete your home energy analysis to get more personalized energy-saving tips. For additional information visit: Energy Saver

If your home has a smart meter, you can sign up to receive High-Usage Alerts – by text, phone or email – when your electricity usage is trending higher than usual. Or, you can choose the dollar amount that triggers your alert. You can also sign up for Weekly Usage Reports to receive emails summarizing your daily usage and the amount you're projected to use on your next electric bill. To learn more, go to ComEd.com/OnlineTools

I would like a home energy assessment. Am I eligible?

ComEd customers who own a single-family home, two-flat, individually -metered condo or townhome are eligible to have a home energy assessment performed. If you rent your home, you are eligible for an assessment, but you must obtain the property owner's permission prior to the assessment.

If you are interested in having an assessment performed at your home, call 1-855-433-2700 to schedule an appointment. To learn more visit: ComEd.com/Assessments

What time of the day is the cost of electricity less expensive? Is it cheaper to use appliances on nights and weekends?

If your bill says "Residential - Single" or "Residential - Multiple", the price of electricity is on a flat rate and does not vary throughout the day or on weekends. Therefore, there is no difference in the cost of operating appliances during overnight and weekend hours versus during weekdays. However, during the summer, operating large appliances such as ovens, dishwashers, washing machines and dryers during the hottest part of the day adds extra heat into your home that can cause your air conditioner to work harder and run longer, and therefore, use more energy. Operating these appliances when the outdoor temperature is cooler--usually early morning or later in the evening--can help save energy on air conditioning in your home.

Residential ComEd customers who want to be more active in managing energy costs can select the other supply rate ComEd offers called Hourly Pricing. The price you pay on this rate option is based on market prices, which vary each hour throughout the day. Interested customers can learn more about the Hourly Pricing program on the ComEd website: HourlyPricing.ComEd.com

There is no set time period during the day when the hourly prices are lower; however, historically the hourly prices are typically lower during the night and weekend hours. For Hourly Pricing participants, information on the current day's hourly electricity prices can be found here: Live Prices

If you have any questions regarding energy pricing and electric supplier options, please refer to the Customer Choice FAQs.

I think that my meter is broken and I am being charged more than I should be. How can I have my meter investigated?

Please call ComEd at 1-800-EDISON-1 (1-800-334-7661) to initiate a High Bill Investigation to have your meter reread and possibly tested.

How can I determine how much energy my appliances are using?

ComEd has an Energy Usage Guide with typical wattages and monthly costs of common household appliances, electronics and lighting at: ComEd.com/EnergyUsageGuide.

If you would like to know the actual energy usage of certain appliances, you can ask your local public library if they have a Kill-A-Watt meter available for check out. If they do, you can plug the appliance into the Kill-A-Watt meter and plug the meter into an electric outlet. The meter will display a wattage reading. To calculate the monthly energy usage, divide the wattage reading by 1,000, then multiply by the hours of operation per billing to determine the amount of kilowatt-hours (kWh) you are using per month.

Are there any discounts available for purchasing energy-efficient lighting?

ComEd offers instant in-store discounts on select ENERGY STAR® certified LEDs and LED fixtures at participating retail stores. For more information on lighting discounts, please visit ComEd.com/Lighting

What type of lighting is better? CFLs or LEDs?

As of January 2017, CFLs no longer meet the energy efficiency standards required for ENERGY STAR certification. ENERGY STAR certified LEDs are a more efficient technology that both lasts longer and provides greater energy savings than CFLs. For more information and comparisons of lighting options, please visit this U.S. Department of Energy website: Energy-Efficient Lightbulbs

I have a smart meter. How can I view my detailed electricity usage?

If you have created an online ComEd account, you can see your energy usage by going to ComEd.com/MyUsage and logging into your account. On this page, you will be able to see your monthly electricity usage. If your home has a smart meter, you can monitor your daily and hourly usage as well.

There may be a 24-48 hour lag in viewing your usage information. If you want to view your real-time usage, you can purchase a Smart Meter Connected Device (SMCD) that is wirelessly connected to the smart meter at your home. For more information on SMCDs, please visit: ComEd.com/SMCD

My neighbor comparison is showing that I am using more energy than my neighbors. How can this be? Who are these neighbors?

To provide valid comparisons, we've chosen approximately 100 nearby homes with characteristics that typically lead to similar energy needs, such as heating source and dwelling size and type. You can update your home profile by logging in to ComEd.com/MyAccount or by calling a customer service representative at 888-806-2273, then pressing 3. Updating the characteristics in your home profile with the most up-to-date information will result in a more meaningful comparison.

My home is very drafty and improperly insulated. What can I do to fix this?

ComEd customers that use electricity provided by ComEd for the majority of their home's heating, or natural gas provided by Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas or North Shore Gas for the majority of their home's heating, may be eligible for weatherization rebates (up to $1,600 per home) for attic insulation, air sealing, wall insulation and duct sealing. Some pre-conditions and other requirements apply, and you must use an approved weatherization contractor. More information can found at: ComEd.com/Weatherization

What are the recommended thermostat settings?

ENERGY STAR recommends setting thermostats to at least 78°F when you are at home and need cooling and to at least 68°F when you are home and need heating. When your home is unoccupied during the day, the temperature setting should be increased by 7° - 10°F when cooling or decreased by 7° - 10°F when heating. If you want to save even more at night when everyone is asleep, the temperature setting can be increased by at least 4°F when cooling or decreased by at least 4°F when heating.

Older thermostats need to be adjusted manually. Programmable thermostats can adjust the temperature based on a set schedule, which can help you avoid discomfort when returning to your home or waking up. Smart thermostats have similar features to programmable thermostats, but they also perform more advanced functions and have additional benefits. A smart thermostat allows you to control the temperature in your home remotely from your smart phone or other web-enabled device. Also, smart thermostats save energy and maximize comfort by automatically adjusting the temperature of your home based on your preferences and activities. ComEd offers free programmable thermostats and discounted smart thermostats through a Home Energy Assessment and installation is free. If you are interested in having an assessment performed, call 855-433-2700 to schedule an appointment or visit ComEd.com/Assessment

For more information on thermostats, you can visit these websites: Thermostats and Heating Cooling Guide

There are a few other things that can be done to help reduce your cooling costs:

Shut your blinds or drapes during the day when the sun is out to reduce energy loss.
Set the thermostat to a higher temperature and use a fan to cool off. A fan uses less energy than an air conditioner and can often provide sufficient comfort. It is important to remember that fans cool people, but do not cool rooms. Therefore, fans should be shut off when no one is in the room.
Avoid using your oven. If possible, cook on your stove, microwave or outside on a grill.
Use large appliances like dishwashers, clothes washers and dryers at night. Operating these appliances during the hotter times of the day adds extra heat into your home that can cause the air conditioner to work harder and run longer, and therefore, use more energy.
If you have an older central air conditioner, consider replacing the unit with a higher efficiency model. ComEd offers rebates up to $450 on new central air conditioners. Learn more at ComEd.com/HeatingCooling

To help reduce your heating costs you can take the following steps:

Minimize the use of supplemental electric heaters, such as portable space heaters.
On sunny days, open the blinds or drapes on south-facing windows to let the sun heat your home. Remember to close the blinds or drapes at night after the sun sets.
After you've finished cooking and shut off your oven, leave the oven door open to let it warm your home.
If you use natural gas for your heating, visit your natural gas utility's website to find out more about their energy efficiency offerings.