EnergyWise® Home is a simple way of reducing overall energy use when the demand is high. Not only are you helping reduce energy wastage, but also saving on your electric bill as you can get up to $147 in annual bill credits. Your participation would mean contributing towards preserving our natural resources, delaying the need for constructing more power plants, and keeping the cost of energy low for everyone. Enroll now or call us at 877.574.0341. The number is operational from Monday to Friday, between 8 AM to 6 PM, and on Saturdays between 8 AM to noon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of the most common questions that you might have. We have listed them down.
When will I receive my first EnergyWise Home credit?
Credits will appear on the second bill you receive after the installation of the EnergyWise Home device.
Can EnergyWise Home cycle any appliances not enroll in the program?
Cycles do not affect any appliance that is not a participating device in the program. Only participating water heaters, central heating, and air conditioning systems, and swimming pool pumps are considered in the cycles.
Will cycles ever occur outside peak usage periods?
It is possible, however, this occurs only during conditions of critical capacity in the Duke Energy systems.
Can EnergyWise Home cause damage to my air conditioning or heating system?
No, EnergyWise Home works like your thermostat to cycle your units. Since the minimum off time is 10 minutes, thus no damage to the compressor due to short cycling will occur.
What should I do if my air conditioning or heating does not work when EnergyWise Home has stopped cycling the power?
You can check the status of the unit through the label that is present on the device. You can also call the EnergyWise Home service center, to resolve your questions, at 888.282.9757.
When EnergyWise Home cycles my heating or air conditioning unit for 16.5 minutes out of 30 minutes, my unit should run the balance of 13.5 minutes. Is that correct?
That is correct but there are certain exceptions. Sometimes turn-off time can be extended due to the electronic thermostat and time delays built into your system itself, even if the power is back on. You can ask for additional assistance by calling EnergyWise Home’s service center at 888.282.9757.
My water heater is not working at all. What should I do?
Check whether the red light present on the EnergyWise box is on or not. If the light is not on, then the cause of the problem is not the EnergyWise Home device. Contact your water heater’s service company to resolve the problem.
How long can I expect to have hot water when the program is being used?
This is dependent on the size of your water heater. Consider your water heater to be similar to a large thermos bottle. The more water you conserve in your heater, the longer will the hot water last.
I need to run the pool pump during the day for cleaning and adding chemicals. What can I do?
The timers for the pool pumps should be set so that they do not run during the peak hours of the day. Off-peak hours will be recommended to perform maintenance on the pool. More information about the timers can be found below.
Will my pool pump freeze if it is interrupted for five hours in extremely cold weather?
No, this will not be the case, since EnergyWise Home allows pool equipment to run for five minutes per hour. However, customers who have solar pool heaters installed should drain them according to the instructions of the manufacturer.
What if I am using a timer on my water heater or swimming pool pump?
Follow the steps below if you are using a timer on your water heater or the swimming pool pump:
- Set timers in a manner that lets the water heater or pool pump operate at different times than when it is the peak usage period for the EnergyWise Home program.
- Timer should be adjusted in November and then again in April since this is the period when the EnergyWise Home schedule is switched from winter to summer.
- Adjust timer according to daylight saving time.
- Keep checking the timer at regular intervals to ensure proper clock time.
How can I determine if my equipment is being controlled?
You can see whether any device of yours is being cycled off by noticing the light present on your EnergyWise Home device. Two-way device(s) showing yellow light means that they are powered. A strong yellow light indicates that the device is connected, while a blinking yellow light indicates that it is not communicating. The green light generally remains off. If the red light is on then the device associated with it is being cycled.
For one-way appliances, a green light indicates that the appliances are not affected. A red light is an indication that your water heater/pool pump is being cycled. The yellow light shows that the heating or air conditioning system is being cycled. An additional green light implies that the heat pump backup strip is being cycled.
What if I think there is a problem with my EnergyWise Home device?
Follow these steps if you observe any problem with our EnergyWise Home device:
- Check the lights present on the appliance to ensure that it is being cycled by the program. If they are on, then wait the designated time, according to the schedule, for the appliance to resume operating.
- If all the lights are off, check whether any fuse is broken and should be replaced or if any circuit breaker needs to be reset.
- Check the timer you are using for your water heater/swimming pool pump to see if it is ‘on’.
- In case your appliance still does not operate and a red or yellow light remains on, contact our EnergyWise Home service center at 888.282.9757.
How do I get started?
Contact us at 877.574.0341 to get started. The number is operational Monday to Friday, from 8 AM to 6 PM. You can also use the online form to get started.