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Alliant Energy News - June 2012 for Iowa and Minnesota customers

 

Saving MoneyEarn cash back for your summer projects

If you have any home improvement projects planned for this summer,

Alliant Energy is here to help! We have energy-efficiency rebates that can help take a bite out of the overall project cost.

Cleaning out your garage? Get rid of that old refrigerator, freezer or room air conditioner with Alliant Energy's Appliance Recycling program. Our recyclers will come to your house, do all the heavy lifting, and give you $50 for old working refrigerators and freezers, and $25 for old working room air conditioners.

Remodeling your kitchen? Take advantage of appliance rebates from Alliant Energy. Get $50 back on refrigerators and $25 on freezers (both must be ENERGY STAR® qualified).

Air conditioner sputtering? Alliant Energy offers $25 rebates on qualifying ENERGY STAR room air conditioners and up to $200 on central air conditioners (14 SEER or greater).

Replacing windows? Cash in with rebates up to $25 per window. The window must be at least eight square feet in size, and have a U-Factor less than or equal to 0.30. Sash-only replacements do not qualify for rebates.

Replacing burned-out outdoor light bulbs? Choose energy-saving compact fluorescent bulbs. They use about 75 percent less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs, and you may qualify for an Alliant Energy rebate of 50 percent off the bulb purchase price.

Don't know where to start? If you're wondering which summer project is the most pressing, start by getting your Home Energy Assessment from Alliant Energy. It's free for most Iowa customers, and just $25 for Minnesota customers, per state regulation. In order to qualify, Alliant Energy must supply your home's primary heating energy, which is the heating equipment permanently installed in your home like a furnace or boiler, and your home must have been built before January 1, 2002.

During the assessment, an energy expert will come to your home, review your prior utility bills, visually identify ways for you to reduce your energy usage, provide estimates on how much the upgrades will cost, and tell you how much you can expect to save on your monthly energy bill. The energy expert may even install some measures on the spot (like a clock-programmable thermostat, faucet aerators and compact fluorescent bulbs) at no cost to kick-start your energy savings.

Learn more about our rebates and qualifications, or call 1-866-ALLIANT (1-866-255-4268).

 

Wind SockCelebrate the summer!

Enjoy a fun project with your kids while you teach them about renewable energy. Harness the power of the wind with a ribbon windsock that will fly all summer long!

MATERIALS

  • 39" of standard ribbon (width 1/4")
  • Three colors satin ribbon (width 5/8") - each 9 yards long
  • 22.5" of box pleat ribbon (width 7/8")
  • 6" embroidery hoop
  • 20" x 10" piece of non-stretch fabric
  • Fabric glue

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Using your non-stretch fabric, create a 1/2" hem or fold along one long edge of fabric. Glue to hold.
  2. Separate the outer and inner ring of the embroidery hoop. Apply glue to inside of inner ring.
  3. Beginning at the un-hemmed corner, position long edge of fabric to inside of inner hoop, keeping top edge of hoop even with edge of fabric, and right side of fabric facing in. Allow to dry.
  4. Gently pull fabric over outside of hoop, so that outside of hoop is completely covered by the fabric. Glue short edges together, creating a tube of fabric.
  5. Using pins, mark fabric along outside of hoop into three equal sections. This will mark where to place the ribbon hanger.
  6. Cut 1/4" ribbon into three equal 13" lengths. Tie ribbons together at one end, forming a loop. At markings, glue ribbon ends to outside of fabric-covered hoop 1/4" from top edge.
  7. Place outer ring of embroidery hoop into position, holding fabric and ribbon ties. Tighten screw to secure.
  8. Cut nine 1-yard lengths each of three coordinating 5/8" ribbons. Alternating colors, glue edge of ribbon along inside edge at bottom of fabric tube.
  9. Glue box pleat ribbon to cover outside of embroidery hoop.
  10. ENJOY!

For more fun games and kid-friendly resources all about energy conservation and renewable energy.

 

Paying BillsCheck please!

Sending a check? How to make sure your payment is processed properly

Alliant Energy offers many different ways to pay your utility bill: online, by phone, through Western Union® and the U.S. Mail. If you choose to mail in your payment, there are a few easy things to remember so that your payment is processed properly.

How we process payments

Alliant Energy relies on a highly automated system for handling mailed-in payments. Envelopes process through our state of the art equipment that can open the envelope, scan the bill stub and the check. That means it is very important that you use the envelope we provide in the bill and include the bill stub with your check. If this is not done, extra processing is needed which can lead to a delay in processing your payment.

What not to do:

  • Do not send cash.
  • Do not staple, paperclip or tape anything to the bill stub or check.
  • Do not fold your check or bill stub.
  • Do not include extra paper or notes. Our processing equipment cannot read notes on bill stubs, so an employee may never see your message. If you need to send a note, send it in a separate envelope to Alliant Energy, PO Box 351, Cedar Rapids, IA 52406.

What to do:

  • Write your check in blue or black ink only, other types of ink are difficult for the equipment to read.
  • Write the check for the exact amount listed on the bill stub. If paying a different amount, please note the amount of payment in the box provided on the bill stub.
  • Make sure you include your bill stub with your check; for multiple payments make sure all bill stubs or account documentation is included with your payment.
  • Use the envelope we provide with the bill.
  • Write your account number on the check or money order.

You can skip the hassle of writing a check and searching for a stamp by taking advantage of our electronic payment options: instant payment by phone, instant online payment, or even have your payment automatically withdrawn from your bank account every month with our Automatic Payment program. Learn more about our many convenient ways to pay.

 

BlueprintsHarsh truths of home buying

True or false: if a home is new, it is also energy efficient.

Surprisingly, the answer is false.

Most people assume that all newly constructed homes are energy efficient. This is not true. Most new homes are built simply to meet current building codes. This is far below the higher standard of energy efficiency. To earn the ENERGY STAR® or to qualify for new home construction rebates from utility companies, builders are required to install more insulation, better windows, and more efficient heating and cooling equipment, among other things.

So why aren't all homebuilders constructing energy-efficient homes? It does cost a bit more, and requires more effort and planning. Plus, homebuilders report that buyers are more interested in granite countertops than energy efficiency.

As a homebuyer, it's your job to insist on energy-efficient construction and here's why. An energy-efficient home can lower your utility bill by about $26 a month*. Put that $26 a month towards the mortgage, and you can now afford an additional $25,000 worth of home (figured with 30 year loan at five percent interest) for the same monthly cash output. This is money that can be used to pay for the energy-efficiency upgrades, as well as the wood floors. Plus, you'll get up to $3,500 in rebates from Alliant Energy and your home will be more comfortable and worth more money. This makes energy efficiency a no-brainer!

When home shopping, ask if the home qualifies for the ENERGY STAR designation or Alliant Energy's New Home Construction rebates. If not, you may want to keep looking. To learn more about the specific energy-efficiency requirements that your new home should meet, or call 1-866-ALLIANT (1-866-255-4268).

*Estimated monthly energy savings of $26 for energy-efficient home is based on the average annual residential Alliant Energy heating and cooling bill of $1,044 and an expected heating/cooling savings of 30 percent (source: ENERGY STAR).

 

Truck and customerAre Alliant Energy crews coming to your home?

If we're coming to your home to do work, consider these tips:

  • If there is a downed power line in your yard or you see a tree branch touching an electrical line, don't touch the power line, tree branch, or anything in contact with the electrical line and call Alliant Energy at 1-800-255-4268.
  • If you have a natural gas emergency, call us from a location other than your home, and don't turn on or off anything before you leave - using any electrical device near a natural gas leak could cause a spark. If gas is blowing, call 911.
 

Budget Billing ChartKeeping connected

Budget Billing

Know in advance how much to budget for your energy bills each month with Alliant Energy's Budget Billing program. You'll pay the same amount each month so you can budget effectively, with no seasonal surprises.

Our Budget Billing program spreads your utility payments over the entire year, so you pay one flat rate each month. We look at your usage over the last 12 months, current and future fuel costs and calculate your average payment. Your Budget Billing amount will be reviewed and adjusted (up or down) if necessary every six months.

It only takes a few minutes to sign up for Budget Billing, but you can help your summer budget right away! You won't have to worry about a big bill popping up that you can't afford. It's an easy way to make sure you keep connected!

Budget Billing is also available to our natural gas customers. Sign up now and take the burden off your bills this winter. Program available to residential customers only. Sign up today or call 1-800-ALLIANT (1-800-255-4268).

 

Computer RelaxingMy Time, My Energy, My Account

Managing your Alliant Energy account online

Want to save time? Sign up to manage your Alliant Energy account online. It's quick and easy to enroll and access its many time-saving features:

Paperless Billing: View your bill online anytime day or night. No more time wasted looking for your paper bill.

Instant Online Payment: In just a few clicks, your bill is paid with an electronic funds transfer from your bank account.

Automatic Payment: Your payment is automatically withdrawn from your bank account each month. Your payment is on time and you don't have to scramble for a stamp!

Usage History: View your energy usage and costs over the last 18 months. Look for trends and ways to save.

Sign up today.

 

Second NatureSupport renewable energy

Enroll in Second Nature

You see tall white wind turbines dotting the countryside. You hear of biomass projects that turn landfill waste into energy. Far easier and more affordable than installing your own wind turbine or solar panels, your participation in Second NatureTM helps cover the cost of harvesting renewable energy.

To enroll in Second Nature, call 1-800-ALLIANT (1-800-255-4268) or residential electric customers click here and non-residential electric customers click here.

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For customer service, call 1-800-ALLIANT (1-800-255-4268).

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