The Transformer by Canoochee EMC 2024 February

The Transformer OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF CANOOCHEE ELECTRIC MEMBERSHIP CORPORATION

February 2024

Keeping the Lights On: A Commitment to Reliability in a Growing Region

BY MICHAEL WASSON, CEO

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eliability: It’s a word we toss around easily, but what does it truly mean for your power company?

At Canoochee EMC, it’s more than just a metric—it’s a promise.

We’re dedicated to providing you, our valued customers, with consistent, affordable electricity while maintaining exceptional service and safety.

Now, let’s be honest: Recent outages, especially in booming areas like north Bryan and Chatham counties, haven’t reflected this promise as well as we’d like. Rapid development and increased traffic have played a major role, but we’re not throwing in the towel.

We’re attacking this challenge from two angles: • Faster response: We’re streamlining our procedures

to respond to outages swiftly in these growing regions.

Every second counts when the lights go out.

• Building a stronger grid: To boost long-term reliability, we’ve built a brand-new substation off Fort Argyle Road in Chatham County. This is a significant investment, and it represents our commitment to providing a more resilient power grid for our growing community.

We’re proud to serve a region experiencing such dynamic growth, and we understand the challenges that come with it. Rest assured, we’re not just riding the wave—we’re actively shaping the future of reliable energy in north Bryan, Chatham and our entire service territory.

Together, we’ll illuminate a brighter tomorrow!

Office Closing Canoochee EMC offices will be closed Monday, Feb. 19, for employee training.

Canoochee EMC Newsletter

A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

www.canoocheeemc.com

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February Is American Heart Month

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s soon as Christmas is over, stores and businesses will start decorating with hearts in preparation for Valentine’s Day. But February isn’t just about romance. It’s also American Heart Month and all about keeping your heart healthy by eating nutritious food, as well as regulating blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Even if your New Year’s resolution to eat healthier and exercise regularly is already a distant memory, February is a great time to kick-start your healthy heart routine.

The electric appliances you might already have in your kitchen can help.

For example, a multicooker like the Instant Pot can steam and air-fry meat and vegetables without oil. A slow cooker can prepare chicken and beef dishes without added fats, too, if you let them simmer in broth, juice or another

liquid, and let the meal stew all day.

An electric indoor grill draws fat from meat into a drip pan below the grate instead of using it to cook the dish. And a blender with blades sharp enough to shred ice makes it simple to whip up smoothies for breakfast and snacks so you and your family get plenty of fruits and veggies, even in the morning.

This February, redefine romance to include helping your family get and stay healthy. Recommit to those New Year’s resolutions and celebrate American Heart Month by protecting your heart and those of your loved ones.

Romance and Energy Savings: A Valentine’s Day Win-Win

Perfect Time for New Habits

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ot romance on your mind this Valentine’s Day? Why not save some energy while you’re cozying up with your partner?

Here’s a few tips to help: Turn off the TV. Sure, watching a romantic movie is a great way to spend time together on a day designed for couples. Even better: sitting close, talking and truly engaging with one another. As long as you’ve got the TV turned off, go ahead and unplug it to save even more energy. Even devices that are turned off still draw some electricity if they’re plugged in.

Inspect your heating system. If you didn’t get around to calling an HVAC tech for a tuneup in the fall, it’s not too late. Make sure your stay-at-home Valentine’s Day date stays cozy. A system checkup can stop problems before they shut the heat off and spoil the warm feelings that this special day brings.

Dim the lights. It used to be that only energyhogging incandescent lightbulbs worked with a dimmer switch. But now, even LED lights can be dimmable.

Dimming the lights not only saves energy, but it can extend the life of the bulbs. And it creates a romantic setting for a candlelight dinner for two.

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Georgia Magazine

February 2024

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idwinter is the perfect time to break bad habits when it comes to using electricity around the house.

For example, are you still using the extension cords you unpacked when you decorated your house for the December holidays? If so, put them back in their boxes; extension cords are designed for temporary use only. And if you’re hiding them under rugs, they could be getting frayed and damaged, which is a fire hazard.

It’s never the wrong time of year to seal leaks around windows, doors and penetrations in walls where wires and cables enter the house. Use caulk and weatherstripping, and engage your children in this energy efficiency exercise.

It will teach them how to conserve energy and use it wisely.

Finally, consider making energy-efficient home improvements around the house before remodeling season emerges with spring weather and contractors are hard to hire. Have a programmable thermostat installed; replace any old, single-pane windows you still have in your house; and add insulation to the attic.

A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

Canoochee EMC Newsletter

How to Insulate Your Attic Hatch

By Miranda Boutelle

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ENERGYSMART ACADEMY

or attic access points inside the home, it’s important to seal them properly with durability and functionality in mind. Attic hatches should be insulated close to the same R-value as the rest of the attic.

(R-value is the insulation’s capacity to resist heat flow.)

Attic access types vary, but here are a few tips on how to insulate standard and ladder attic hatches:

Standard attic hatches

If buying materials or ready-made kits is not in your budget, inexpensive weatherstripping provides a minimal level of protection.

ENERGYSMART ACADEMY

ABBY BERRY, NRECA

A standard attic hatch is typically a covered rectangular hole cut into the ceiling. If your hatch is drywall, replace it, because it is difficult to properly insulate and seal a drywall hatch. They often crumble and crack around the edges, leading to more air leaks.

Ready-made insulated hatches are available online or Save energy and eliminate drafts by at home improvement stores, or insulating attic hatches inside your home. you can insulate and seal your existing attic hatch. Either way, measure carefully to ensure you create an effective seal.

To improve your existing hatch, replace drywall attic hatches with 3/4-inch plywood cut to fit. If you have loose-fill insulation in your attic—as opposed to fiberglass batts—install a dam or barrier that extends 2 inches above the level of insulation to prevent it from spilling into the house when you open the hatch. Use unfaced fiberglass batt insulation or plywood to hold back the loose-fill insulation.

To insulate the hatch, use rigid foam insulation cut slightly smaller than the plywood attic hatch. Use screws and fender washers to secure the first layer of rigid foam to the hatch. Add layers of rigid foam by taping the edges together one at a time using foil tape. Always wear gloves when using foil tape to prevent cuts. Keep layering the rigid foam until you reach the desired R-value.

Remember to seal any gaps between the drywall and trim, using caulk for smaller gaps and foam sealant for larger ones. Finish the job by applying adhesive weatherstripping around the hatch perimeter. Install the weatherstripping on the hatch itself or on the trim supporting the hatch.

This standard attic hatch has been insulated and weatherstripped to reduce energy waste.

Ladder attic hatches

the gap between the drywall and hatch frame. Add weatherstripping to the hatch or the underside of the frame to form a tight seal when closed.

There are several commercially available options for insulating ladder hatches. Remember to check the product’s R-value and measure carefully.

If purchasing the required materials to seal and insulate your attic hatch is not in your budget, use weatherstripping on the hatch perimeter. While it won’t provide the same level of insulation, it’s a simple, low-cost option for blocking air drafts.

For attic hatches with drop-down ladders, you’ll follow the same instructions: Install a dam, air seal and insulate. Be sure to account for the space of the folding ladder.

To insulate, build a box to sit in the attic around the hatch. Use wood for the sides that is tall enough to accommodate the folded ladder. The top of the box will be rigid foam you can remove to get into the attic. Cut the first piece of foam to fit inside the box and the next layer to fit on top of the box. Keep layering until you reach the desired R-value.

To get a good air seal, you may need to remove the existing trim to seal

Miranda Boutelle is the chief operating officer at Efficiency Services Group in Oregon, a cooperatively owned energy efficiency company. She has more than 20 years of experience helping people save energy at home, and she writes on energy efficiency topics for the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the national trade association representing more than 900 electric co-ops.

Canoochee EMC Newsletter

A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

www.canoocheeemc.com 18C

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Apply for the Washington Youth Tour Today

The Transformer Official Publication of Canoochee EMC P.O. Box 487 Reidsville, GA 30453 (800) 342-0134 Joseph A. Sikes, Editor BOARD OF DIRECTORS Connie Thrift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 3 President Bob Floyd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 4 Vice President Kim Blocker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 9 Treasurer LaNell M. Oliver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 6 Secretary Ed Bradley Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 5 Robert Dasher. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 8 Kenneth L. Durrence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 7 Lavanda Lynn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 2 Bernard Purvis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . District 1 Andy Whiten, Chief Operations Officer Mat Olson, Chief Financial Officer Patrick Burkhalter, Chief Administration Officer

KATHRYN GREEN

Michael Wasson, Chief Executive Officer

Kyle E. Durrence, Member Services Manager WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR POWER IS OFF . . .

1. Check your fuses or breakers.

2. Check with your neighbors.

3. Call (800) 342-0134 or (912) 557-4391.

There is a dispatcher on call 24 hours a day for your convenience.

OFFICE HOURS Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays Branch offices Highway 196 West Hinesville, GA 31313

Highway 280 East Pembroke, GA 31321

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Georgia Magazine

February 2024

High school junior? It’s not too late to apply for the 2024 Washington Youth Tour!

Applications are due Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Email pr@canoocheeemc.com for an application.

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Touchstone Energy Senior Citizen of the Month Congratulations to Roy Vangiller of Pembroke for being selected as the February 2024 Touchstone Energy Senior Citizen of the Month.

A Touchstone Energy® Cooperative

Canoochee EMC Newsletter