- Cool and comfortable
- Why sign up for Paperless Billing?
- Your online project professional
- Keeping Current: Manage your utility bill while away
- Build your new home to perform
- Help us, help you - tips to better customer service
Cool and comfortable
All about replacing, maintaining and purchasing air conditioners
In Wisconsin, between 66 and 75 percent of single-family homes have central air conditioning and around 75,000 people add central air to their homes yearly. If you are thinking of adding central air or replacing the unit you have now, here are a few guidelines to maximize the value and benefits of the new air conditioner.
- Get the right size – an air conditioner needs to match it's cooling power to the size of the home; an oversized unit will not cool the house more quickly or efficiently.
- Buy a high SEER unit – the seasonal energy efficiency rating (SEER) compares the cooling power to electricity use; the higher the SEER, the more energy efficient.
- Look at moisture performance – ask a dealer about models that can efficiently remove moisture and control humidity.
- Consider fan operation costs – air-conditioning costs depend partly on the furnace blower. If the fan is inefficient, your electricity costs could increase.
Replacing an older, functioning air conditioner may seem like a good idea. However, of the 75,000 new air conditioners purchased yearly, only 25 percent are replacement units.* That's because air conditioners only run an average of 300 hours annually. When you factor how little they run each year and the cost, residential central air conditioners are not prime candidates for early replacement.
With good maintenance, your air conditioner should last about 15 years. You can keep your system running efficiently with these easy tips:
- Check hose connections for leaks and make sure the condensate tube is draining freely.
- Change or clean the furnace filter once a month, and have a professional service it regularly.
- Vacuum registers and air vents regularly.
- Have your ductwork professionally cleaned every few years.
Click here for more information on maintaining and buying central air conditioning units.
*Source: Energy Center of Wisconsin.
Why sign up for Paperless Billing?
With Paperless Billing, we email you when your bill is ready to view.
If the following statements apply to you, consider signing up for Paperless Billing.
- You value your time – cut bill paying down to a few quick clicks.
- You don’t like clutter – fewer envelopes to sort, store and send.
- You like convenience – view and pay your bill anytime, night or day.
- You are smart with your money – why use a stamp when you don’t need to?
- You are on the go – manage your bill from anywhere.
- You want to use less paper – cut the clutter!
Learn more and enroll. It’s easy, fast and free!
Your online project professional
Do you have a summertime do-it-yourself (DIY) project coming up? Make powerhousetv.com your first stop. You’ll find a library of hundreds of DIY videos ready to help. And you can be confident that each project is done with safety and energy-efficiency in mind. These videos are smart phone-ready, so you can watch step-by-step as you complete your project. Some sample DIY videos include:
- Installing a motion detector light
- Installing a dimmer switch
- Insulation tips and tricks
- How to install a clock-programmable thermostat
- Installing an energy-saving dryer vent
These same videos are also viewable on the PowerHouse YouTube channel.
Be the first to know about energy-efficiency events and money-saving tips by following Powerhouse (@aepowerhouse) on Twitter and liking PowerHouse on Facebook.
Keeping Current:
Manage your utility bill while away
Many online tools available
Vacations, weddings, visiting family and more … while “on the road” this summer, you have a variety of tools to manage your utility bill.
- View your bill
- Schedule a bill payment
- Have your bill payment automatically deducted from your bank account each month with Automatic Payment
- Sign up to get your bill by email through Paperless Billing
- Start or stop service
These tools are easy to use if you know your account number, which can be found on your bill. If you want to make or schedule a payment, be sure to have your bank account information in front of you.
No matter the season or your travel plans, these are useful tools that will help you stay current with Alliant Energy!
Build your new home to perform
Building a new home is a large investment, and to ensure your home performs at the highest efficiency possible Focus on Energy offers incentives with their New Home program. Focus on Energy, Wisconsin utilities’ statewide program for energy efficiency and renewable energy, helps you make educated decisions about how to build a high-performance house that saves you energy and money.
Focus on Energy provides:
- Optimal energy-efficiency. Homes built through the New Home program are ten percent more efficient than homes built to the standard Wisconsin Uniform Dwelling code.
- Proof of performance. The New Home program certifies your new home to be comfortable, safe and energy efficient.
- Peace of mind. Focus on Energy has the expertise and resources to help you build the home of your dreams.
- Step-by-step guidance. From the initial planning, through the construction, and inspection, Focus on Energy will be there every step of the way.
Don’t worry if you think building a home to the program standards would increase the cost of construction. You’ll likely recover that cost year after year through energy savings! For more information on Focus on Energy and the New Home program or call 1-800-762-7077.
Help us, help you
Three tips to better customer service
If you need to dial 1-800-ALLIANT (1-800-255-4268), keep these tips in mind for a smoother call.
- Call from a quiet space. Background noise makes it hard for you to hear and be understood.
- Have your Alliant Energy account number handy.
- Making a payment? Be ready with your bill, bank routing number, bank account number, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
Every call is important to us! Following these tips will help us answer your question or resolve your issue so you can get on with your busy day.
Follow these tips when using our automated phone system to:
- Report an outage
- Make a payment
- Access account information
- Set up a payment arrangement
Call us
For customer service, call 1-800-ALLIANT (1-800-255-4268).
Visit us