Ten years sure flew by fast!  When we started PowerMax Energy in February of 2003 our kids were 10 and 12. We have enjoyed a great many experiences together during the past 10 years. It has been wonderful to share our business with our children. Many of you remember having them serve you at several of our corporate events. Both our kids are now adults, married, out of the nest and one of our daughters has blessed us with our first grandchild. My, my things sure have changed in the past 10 years.

It has been a blessing to not only raise a family but also raise a company. It has been a pleasure to serve many residential clients over this past decade. We have enjoyed watching many of your families grow, just like ours has grown. Many of the clients that helped start our company are still with us today. We thank you for taking this journey with us.

We have also had the privilege of working alongside many businesses in helping them save money on their electricity. It has been a joy to be a small part of watching some small clients become large commercial clients. We have been thrilled to help many small businesses remain in business due to the money they saved on their electricity bill. We have celebrated with you on the growth and success of your business. Thank you for your business and allowing us to be a part of that business.

Bryan and I hope that the next ten years brings as much growth, happiness and success as the past decade. May God bless you, your family and your business.

Happy New Year 2013!

PowerMax Energy would like to wish you, your family and your business a very Happy New Year!

PowerMax Energy

adapted from a poem by Joanna Fuchs

PowerMax Energy would like to wish you, your family and your business a very Merry Christmas!

Simple joys, little pleasures,
Laughter and smiles in big measures.
Friends, family, togetherness, love…
The choicest blessings from above.
Peace, prosperity and happiness to…
All these and more are our wishes for you!

Merry Christmas!

Simple Home Energy Saving Tips. In these tough economic times it helps to save money wherever you can, the easier the home energy saving tips the better. Here are a few simple energy saving tips that you can use to easily save money on your electricity bills.

Free and Low Cost Energy Saving Tips

Adjusting Your Thermostat – Setting your air conditioner 5° higher can save you up to 20% on cooling costs. Most Retail Electric Providers recommend setting your air conditioner at 82°.

Adjusting Your Water Heater – Turn your water heater down to 120° or the “normal” setting when home, and to the lowest setting when you will be away from your home for a few days. Your water heater can account for about 13% of your home energy costs.

Be Smart About Lighting – Turn off unnecessary lighting and use task or desktop lights with fluorescents or LED bulbs instead of overhead lights.

Buy Energy Efficient Appliances – Always buy ENERGY STAR qualified appliances and equipment – they can be up to 40% more efficient than their counterparts.

Deregulation – Take advantage of electricity deregulation, if available in your area. Most electricity deregulation providers, like PowerMax Energy in conjunction with Champion Energy can save you between 10-40% off your electric bill.

Find and Seal Leaks – Sealing cracks, gaps, leaks and adding insulation can save up to 20% on home heating and cooling costs.

• Test for air leaks by holding a lit incense stick next to windows, doors, electrical boxes, plumbing fixtures, electrical outlets, ceiling fixtures, attic hatches and other locations where there is a possible air path to the outside. If the smoke stream travels horizontally, you have located an air leak that may need caulking, sealing or weather stripping.

Keeping Cool With Ceiling Fans – Reduce your air conditioning costs by using ceiling fans, keeping windows and doors shut and closing blinds during the day. Most ceiling fans use less energy than a single light bulb.

Loading Up Your Dishwasher – Run your dishwasher and clothes washer only when they are fully loaded. Fewer loads will reduce your energy and water use.

Maintaining Your Clothes Dryer – Make sure your clothes dryer’s outside vent is clear and clean by cleaning out the lint filter after every load. When you are shopping for a new dryer look for one with a moisture sensor that will automatically shut off the dryer when your clothes are dry.

Powering Down Your Computer – Enable the “power management” option on all your computers and make sure to turn them off at night. Did you know a laptop computer uses up to 90% less energy than desktop models?

Replacing Light Bulbs – Replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent light bulbs or LED bulbs can save you 75% off lighting costs.

Unplugging Electronics – Unplug electronics, battery chargers and other equipment when not in use. These small pieces of electronics can cumulatively use as much power as your refrigerator.

Washing Clothes in Cold Water – When possible wash clothes in cold water. About 90% of the energy used in a clothes washer goes to water heating.

Good Investment Energy Saving Tips

Improve Your Insulation – Most U.S. homes should have between R-22 and R-49 insulation in the attic. Insulating ceilings, walls, attics, floors, crawl spaces and basements to recommended standards can reduce heating and cooling costs by 5% to 25%. Add insulation if your attic contains less than 7” of fiberglass or 6” of cellulose insulation.

Maintaining Your Cooling System – Having your air conditioning unit serviced can cut 15% of your cooling costs.

Programmable Thermostat – Install an ENERGY STAR qualified programmable thermostat – This can save up to $150 and pays for itself in less than 12 months. Make sure to install the thermostat away from natural cool and hot spots.

Sealing Your Ducts – Having your heating and cooling ducts professionally sealed can save you up to $190 per year.

Sealing Your Home – Seal your home’s walls, floor, ceiling and roof to save up to 10% on your annual energy bill:

• Adding weather stripping around windows and doors will reduce drafts.
• Seal large gaps with expanding foam.
• Using caulk to seal around ducts, plumbing and any other openings in walls, floors and ceilings will help to reduce air leakage.

Upgrade Your Heating System – Replacing heating equipment that is more than 15 years old with new ENERGY STAR qualified models will save you money.

• An ENERGY STAR qualified boiler extracts more heat from the same amount of fuel, to be 10% more efficient than a new standard model.
• An ENERGY STAR qualified electric heat pump is 20% more efficient and can save you about $130 annually.
• Old furnaces cost more to operate per year than new, ENERGY STAR qualified models that are 15% more efficient than standard models.

Windows – Consider replacing single-pane windows with double-pane windows that are gas-filled with high performance glass. ENERGY STAR qualified windows can help reduce your heating and cooling costs by up to 15%.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day. It is a day for remembering those who have died in our nation’s service. We hope you and your family will take a few moments this holiday to observe the “National Moment of Remembrance.” This resolution was passed in December 2000 and asks that at 3:00 pm local time, for all Americans “To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to “Taps.”" You can find out more about the history of Memorial Day by visiting: www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html.

We leave you with this thoughtful poem by C.W. Johnson:

 Memorial Day

We walked among the crosses

Where our fallen soldiers lay.

And listened to the bugle

As “Taps” began to play.

The Chaplin led a prayer

We stood with heads bowed low.

And I thought of fallen comrades

I had known so long ago.

They came from every city

Across this fertile land.

That we might live in freedom.

They lie here ‘neath the sand.

I felt a little guilty

My sacrifice was small.

I only lost a little time

But these men lost their all.

Now the services are over

For this Memorial Day.

To the names upon these crosses

I just want to say,

Thanks for what you’ve given

No one could ask for more.

May you rest with God in heaven

From now through evermore.

~ C.W. Johnson

The PUC (Public Utility Commission) of Texas issues an energy conservation alert today. Due to the rising heat in Texas they are concerned about the strain on the state electric grid. Reducing your energy consumption will help to lesson the burden on this electric delivery system. PowerMax Energy can also help you to reduce the cost of your electricity bill during these times of extreme heat. Give us a call today to see how much money we can save you on you energy bill especially during these times of high air conditioner usage. You can reach an energy specialist at 800-580-6184 ext. 300.

ALERT

Energy Conversation

PowerWatch

PCCS Golf Tournament

Supporting students at Poetry Community Christian School

www.poetrychristian.org

Friday, May 6, 2011

4-Player Scramble

Gold Sponsors: PowerMax Energy and APNA Energy

Your 13th hole hosts, Wendy and Chelsea would like to say thank you for a great day on the course.

[Show as slideshow]

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photo credit: Sarah_Ackerman

As Texans face the first cold snap of the new year, the Public Utility Commission (PUC) offers the following tips to save money on electricity bills this winter if you use electric heat:

Handling the Heat-

• Lower the thermostat when you leave home. Make sure the lowered temperature will not affect pets or plants inside your home. An energy efficient setting is 68 degrees for winter. Consider buying a programmable thermostat if you don’t have one.
• For each degree you lower your thermostat in winter, you can save about 3 percent on your heating bill. If your monthly bill is about $100, lowering your thermostat four degrees could save you up to $12 on each bill.
• Lower the temperature setting on your water heater to about 120 degrees.
• Check all heating systems regularly –even minor problems can increase heating costs.

Lighten Up-

• Close curtains and shades at night and open them during the day. For maximum solar heat, keep your windows clean, especially those on the south side of your home.

Home Smarts-

• Clean and replace furnace filters once a month or more if needed.
• Use duct tape to repair and seal any leaks. Seal leaks around doors with weather stripping and around windows with caulking.
• If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the flue.
• Look for the Energy Star® and Energy guide label on items such as heating and cooling appliances, home entertainment systems, office equipment, and kitchen and bathroom appliances. These products meet energy efficient guidelines set by the U.S. Department of Energy and the EPA. Customers can save up to $400 in a year.
• Make sure your home has proper insulation.

As a long-term investment, consider installing storm windows or double-paned windows to retain heat. Storm windows can reduce heating loss by 25 percent and double-paned windows can reduce your bill by 34 percent.