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Cold weather happens, even if it was 80 degrees yesterday. Save electricity and save money with a few simple suggestions from Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative.
LOWER YOUR WATER HEATER TEMPERATURE
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends using the warm setting (120 degrees) on your water heater during the winter months. Plus, consider washing clothes in cold water.
TURN DOWN THE THERMOSTAT
You can save about 3% on your electric bill for every degree you drop the temperature.
SWITCH THE DIRECTION CEILING FANS TURN
If your fan has the capability, make the blades turn clockwise. This pulls cool air toward the ceiling and pushes warm air down.
UPGRADE YOUR FIREPLACE
Add an insert or replace your fireplace with an energy-efficient model.
LET THE SUN IN
Allow natural warmth in through the windows, especially south-facing windows.
USE SPACE HEATERS SELECTIVELY
You can save electricity by heating only the room you are in.
WEAR WARM CLOTHES
It may seem obvious, but putting on an extra sweater and adding wool socks with your slippers will let you lower your thermostat temperature.
LIMIT THE USE OF EXHAUST FANS
They suck out all the indoor air your heater has worked so hard to warm.
ELIMINATE DRAFTS
Cold winter air can sneak in around windows, doors and even electrical outlets. Weather stripping, insulation and insulated curtains can help keep warm air in.
Download this story as it appeared in Texas Co-op Power magazine
From an early age, many rural Texas children take on the responsibility
of raising animals, gaining hands-on experience and valuable life skills.
Youth livestock shows have been part of Texas’ heritage for decades. For kids growing up in rural areas, the traditions and culture of the shows provide a sense of purpose and a connection with their communities and the land. Many start raising chickens, rabbits, goats, lambs, pigs or cattle at a young age, hoping to showcase the animals at local competitions and use prize money to pay for the animals' care and their own college funds.
Shows take place across the state each spring and fall, but the real work happens between shows, when students learn the ins and outs of livestock management. They wrangle
steers without halters, cuddle rabbits with care and parade with persnickety pigs. They also learn how to solve problems on the fly, research best practices of care, record their progress and develop social skills they’ll use for the rest of their lives. We met 11 hardworking young livestock show participants from all over the Bluebonnet region. With an array of backgrounds and a variety of livestock, they all share a passion for their animals and the youth agricultural community.
— Addie Broyles
Three seasons into his junior livestock show career, goat exhibitor Damian Guerrero has racked up several showmanship awards. The 11-year-old Cedar Creek Intermediate School student moves with the agility of a boxer, swiftly pivoting to keep his eyes on the judge and the judge’s eyes on him. Damian, the son of Juan and Amanda Guerrero, exhibited three male goats in 2023 and 2024: Buster, Whiskey Effort and Shorty. He closed out the 2024 season by winning showmanship titles and two reserve market goat championships with Shorty at the Bastrop Area Livestock Show. Damian is now training new goats with hopes of earning more championship buckles.
— By Camille Wheeler, photo by Laura Skelding
Showing rabbits takes poise, patience and a gentle touch, said Lockhart 4-H member Nellie Garcia.
“They don’t like being picked up,” added the 9-year-old, softly. “You have to pick them up like a cat.” All of Eric and Kelley Garcia’s three children participate in the Caldwell County Junior Livestock Show, showing rabbits and pigs. Nellie couldn’t wait to join 4-H in third grade because she watched her two brothers show and it looked fun. “Rabbits are really good for the young ones to start with,” said Nellie’s mom, Kelley, who also showed in 4-H as a youngster in Lockhart. Rabbits need an hour or more of attention each day to make sure they reach the proper weight, have good muscle tone and are comfortable around people. A pro tip from Nellie: If the rabbits are nervous in the show ring, cup your hands over their ears or eyes to help them calm down.
— By Clayton Stromberger, photo by Sarah Beal
When 15-year-old Jaci Garcia of Giddings, daughter of Daniel Garcia and Kristina Creek, walks into the show ring, she means business. Veteran cattlemen have noted it as well. “She just has a natural eye for cattle,” said Dustin Keith, owner of Keith Cattle Co. in Lincoln, who provided Jaci with her first heifer three years ago. “She’s really eager to learn. She asks good questions, and she listens.” Jaci puts in five hours a day on FFA work, and her commitment and passion have paid off with an array of buckles and ribbons, including grand champion for bred commercial heifers and grand champion gray Brahman last year at the Lee County Junior Livestock Show. Working with Sandy, the feisty 1,600-pound heifer, pictured above, was a challenge. Sometimes Sandy would try to give Jaci a headbutt. When she heard her name proclaimed as grand champion, “I bawled my eyes out,” Jaci admitted with a smile. “Everyone could see how much it meant to me.”
— By Clayton Stromberger, photo by Sarah Beal
Easton Groce, 10, son of Jared and Rachel Groce, dressed for success at last year’s Burleson County Fair. He wore a colorful chicken-print shirt as he proudly showed his finest fowl. His mother, Rachel Groce, said that the Snook Elementary School fifth grader started showing livestock in third grade, following in the footsteps of his older brother, Teagan. Easton was the second-youngest competitor showing a chicken at last year’s fair, going up against students as old as high school seniors in the market broiler category. “The chickens are pretty heavy,” his mother said. “It’s nerve-racking. People put a lot of pressure on the kids.” But Easton’s got the hunger — and the outfit — to keep going, devoting hours to his chickens leading up to the show. He knows he wants to win grand champion at the county fair.
— By Eric Webb, photo by Sarah Beal
Grace Hyman, 20, can count on her buddies. She teamed with Lillie Thibodeaux (left) and Kinleigh Jo Guidry (right) to show a crossbred barrow pig at the 2023 Washington County Fair Champion Drive. The program, which started in 2014, allows young people with disabilities to participate in livestock shows. Grace graduated in 2023 from Brenham High School. “Special needs kids are often overlooked, put at the back of the class, back of the line,” said her mother, Judy Hyman. Grace’s father, Kelley Hyman, added, “That they have something like this for our special needs kids, where they can be the star, that’s what drew us to this.” Grace loves being around animals, and although she sometimes gets a little stage fright, her friends Lillie, 18, and Kinleigh Jo, 14, helped her feel at ease by feeding the pig in the show ring. It was all a great learning experience, Grace’s mother said, adding, “When you’re showing animals, there’s a confidence you gain.” And, more importantly, Grace had a blast.
— By Eric Webb, photo by Laura Skelding
It was brother vs. sister at the Fayette County Junior Livestock Show last year. Tate, left, 11, and Tatum, 13, competed against each other with the market goats they raised at their family’s place near Fayetteville. The siblings, children of Todd and Raegan Fritsch, swept the category, with Tatum winning grand champion and Tate winning reserve grand champion. “They were so happy for each other,” Raegan Fritsch said. At the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo last year, Tatum won one of 20 calf scramble tickets worth $2,200 to compete in this year’s livestock show. With that money, participants can buy a heifer or steer that they must exhibit the upcoming year. Between her schoolwork and volleyball practice, basketball games and track meets, Tatum also writes a newsletter about raising her steer, named Triple A. If Tatum had her way, her mother said, she’d be doing livestock-related stuff full-time. “It’s all she wants to do.”
— By Addie Broyles, photo by Sarah Beal
Bailen Kocurek, 13, loves showing heifers and is always up for trying something new. The seventh grader started in 4-H Clover program (for kindergartners through second graders) at age 5. He began showing pigs and heifers in third grade, the first eligible year for 4-H members. “I had to learn a lot that first year,” he said, “but I’ve really grown to like it.” For a change, he raised several dozen turkeys last year, showing his best at the Burleson County Fair. Handy with a sewing machine, a skill taught by his grandmother, Susan Broesche, he even used his talents in a 4-H stitch and design class. A few years ago, he and fellow 4-H members sewed pillows and blankets to bring holiday cheer to area residents.
— By Addie Broyles, photo by Sarah Beal
Callan MacDonald, 12, knows that a prize-winning show rabbit has to be in good shape to be a winner. “I run the rabbits around for about 30 minutes a day to help with their condition,” he said. The Manor Middle School seventh grader grew up helping his older brothers show rabbits and pigs. Now, he’s preparing for another year of showing both animals. His dad, Scott MacDonald, and stepmother, Staci Bartos, are both agriculture teachers in Manor. Before third grade, Callan participated in the Travis County Peewee Show, where kids as young as 2 can get experience “showing” animals. For Callan, that meant learning how to handle the rabbits, so his hands do not get too many scratches. “But they get wild, so you never know,” Callan said.
— By Addie Broyles, photo by Sarah Beal
Showing pigs is a Luedke family tradition for Chloe, left, 12, and Darcy, 16. Every year at their farm near Kenney, between Brenham and Bellville, they have raised pigs for fall and spring livestock shows, just like their parents and grandparents did decades ago. The sisters, daughters of Brandon and Rebecca Luedke, started exhibiting pigs in third grade, the first year they were eligible in 4-H. Now they have competed at both local and state shows. In 2023, Darcy placed fifth at the State Fair of Texas and showed the reserve class champion at the Austin County Fair, their hometown show. Chloe showed her pig, Yella, at the show in Bellville last October. Darcy has a strong sense of purpose and wants to work in agriculture: “Agriculture is the backbone of everything,” she said. “My time in 4-H and FFA has made me the person I am today.”
— By Addie Broyles, photo by Sarah Beal
Don’t let the name fool you. Today’s heat pumps can cool and warm your home year-round.
Story by Sharon Jayson
Photos by Sarah Beal
The typical heating and air conditioning systems in Central Texas homes now have competition. Despite the name, a heat pump — more specifically, an air-source heat pump — can warm a house in winter and cool it in summer. Proponents tout the technology for its money-saving energy efficiency.
A growing number of homebuilders and buyers in the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative service area, across Texas and throughout the southern U.S., are choosing air-source — or air-to-air — heat pumps, either connected to ductwork throughout the house, or “mini-split” systems for smaller spaces. These systems heat and cool through a single unit rather than separate air conditioning and heating components and use 50% less electricity on average.
Although savings vary by system and home size, homeowners could potentially save an average of $670 annually on electric bills with a whole-home heat pump rather than a conventional heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Air-source heat pumps use 32% less electricity for cooling, depending on the size of the house and the temperature outside. In winter, they can reduce electricity use for heating by as much as 75%, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
There are different types of heat pumps, including geothermal systems that transfer heat between a home and the ground or a nearby water source. Those systems are more expensive to install and require underground pipes.
Air-source heat pumps work by transferring heat using a refrigerant that absorbs and releases heat as it cycles through the system. In winter, the pump extracts heat from outside air — even when it is cold — and transfers it inside to warm the home. The refrigerant absorbs heat energy from the cold air, and a compressor and heat exchanger release it indoors.
To cool a home in summer, the process reverses. The heat pump absorbs heat from the indoor air using the refrigerant and transfers it outside, cooling the home. The process is similar to a conventional air conditioner, but is typically more energy-efficient. The systems can dehumidify too, making indoor air feel cooler on humid days.
The smaller ductless mini-split is suited for single rooms, workshops, very small homes or additions.
In the Bluebonnet region, more builders are opting for heat pumps instead of traditional heating systems powered by electricity or natural gas.
“We’ve seen a couple of our builders in the last two to three years switch strictly to heat pumps. Some that were strictly using propane for heating are venturing out,” said Steve Honeycutt, co-owner and co-founder of Honeycutt Air Conditioning in Bellville, which serves Bluebonnet members in Austin, Colorado, Fayette and Washington counties. “Consumers themselves are asking about it.”
The average cost to buy and install a heat pump system that can heat and cool a new 2,500-square-foot home is approximately $18,000, Honeycutt said. In his service region, this is only about $1,000 more than the cost of buying and installing a conventional HVAC system.
“Air-conditioning equipment has gotten expensive in the last 10 to 15 years,” he said. Between increases in supply costs, Environmental Protection Agency regulations on HVAC systems, foam-insulated homes — which require specialized tools — and advancements in technology, the cost of a traditional system has gone up significantly, Honeycutt said.
“Heat pumps are way more cost-effective than propane heating, especially in areas without natural gas,” said Anthony Gomez, a Bluebonnet member in Cedar Creek, as well as service manager at Austin-based Strand Brothers, a plumbing and HVAC company that operates in Bastrop, Caldwell, Travis and Williamson counties.
The cost of an air-source heat pump system depends on its size and number of units needed. Other factors that affect the price are the home’s square footage, ceiling height, number of stories, insulation levels and types and the heat pump’s energy-efficiency ratings. If the pump includes special features such as higher-rated air filters or variable-speed motors to improve efficiency, that increases the cost.
One family in the Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative service area recently opted for heat pumps to cool and warm their new 2,750-square-foot home near Lexington. Eric and Meredith Middaugh and their three children — Logan, 15; Landry, 13; and Lincoln, 7 — moved into the house last August.
They moved from a larger home in Coupland in Williamson County. It also had an air-source heat pump. That convinced him of the technology’s efficiency. “I knew from experience that heat pumps are more energy-efficient and would be a great choice for our new home,” he said.
The family’s new house is equipped with two air-source heat pumps: a 2-ton unit for the bedrooms and a 3-ton unit for the common areas.
“I’ve been really impressed with how well the systems work, especially in the summer,” he said. “Our Bluebonnet electric bill for cooling was just $150 a month, even during the hottest part of the year.” In comparison, the average monthly Bluebonnet electric bill for a home that size in the summer is $215. Bluebonnet has one of the lowest electric rates in the state.
As of December, the family’s heating costs were low. “Our bills have run about $175 a month, which is much lower than what I expected for a home of this size,” Middaugh said.
Despite the new wave of interest, heat pumps have been around since the mid-1800s. For more than a century, they were used mostly for large-scale and industrial heating. The technology to both heat and cool a home was available in the 1970s, but technological advances now make them increasingly popular options for new homes or retrofitting all or part of existing homes.
James Harkins, owner of Elgin-based ACHS Inc., handled the installation of the Middaughs’ heat pumps. If a homeowner has an electricity-powered furnace, he recommends replacing it with an air-source heat pump. “Within two to three years, they pay for themselves,” Harkins said.
The process of installing an air-source heat pump system is relatively straightforward, Honeycutt said. He recommends that consumers speak directly with their HVAC installer to understand the system, ensure it meets their needs and choose the most cost-effective option.
Heat pump systems typically include a backup heating option, often referred to as a “heat strip.” These coil-like elements within the system generate heat when electricity flows through them. The heat pump system’s fan blows air across the strip, distributing heat throughout the home. “When the temperature gets below freezing — about the low 20s — that’s when heat pumps stop being efficient and auxiliary backup systems and heat strips kick in,” Gomez said.
A backup heat strip would probably not be needed very often in Central Texas. “They’re only designed to kick in at certain low temperatures,” Gomez said. The strips can also serve as a backup heating source if a heat pump is not functioning, he added. If it does kick in, it’s not cheap: The strip can use up to five times more electricity per hour than the heat pump alone.
In Texas, especially in rural areas where homeowners rely on electricity or propane to heat and cool homes, heat pump systems have become a standard option for new homes in the last few years.
Adam Hernandez is a co-founder of HDZ Builders in Chappell Hill. The custom home and residential construction company serves customers including Bluebonnet members in Austin, Colorado and Washington counties. He is a believer in heat pumps.
“In my opinion, the heat pump is a better system,” he said. “Unlike natural gas or propane heating systems, heat pumps do not produce condensation that can freeze in winter.”
One system that both heats and cools a home is also simpler mechanically. An air-source heat pump should have twice-yearly maintenance checks, much like traditional HVAC systems. That maintenance includes cleaning coils and checking that auxiliary heat systems are working properly, Gomez said.
What do heat pumps look like? “You’d never be able to tell from the outside of a home whether it is a heat pump or a conventional HVAC system,” Honeycutt said. “They look the same.”
Inside the home, however, they look different. A conventional HVAC system has two parts: a furnace for heating and a coil for cooling, typically housed in more square-shaped units. The heat pump’s simpler system is a single, more horizontal and compact unit that takes up slightly less space. Like the HVAC system, it is usually installed in an attic or closet.
Eric Middaugh believes his home's combination of spray foam insulation and heat-pump technology will create an efficient system. By sealing air leaks and eliminating the need for natural gas or propane, the setup should not only save money by reducing electricity use but also offer a more environmentally friendly heating and cooling solution — one that he expects will attract more consumers to heat pumps.
— Alyssa Meinke contributed to this story
Side by side: Heat pumps or traditional cooling/heating systems
Both systems can keep your home comfortable year-round. Which is right for you?
Air-source heat pump system |
HVAC system |
|---|---|
| HOW IT WORKS | HOW IT WORKS |
|
A single unit that works by moving heat in different directions. To cool, it absorbs heat from indoor air using a refrigerant, then transfers it outside. To heat, it pulls warm air from outside, even on cold days. It easily switches between heating and cooling by changing the direction of the refrigerant’s flow. |
Two systems: an air conditioner to cool the home, a furnace to heat it. The air conditioner uses refrigerant to absorb indoor heat and transfer it outdoors. Electric or gas furnaces generate heat to warm air being pushed into the home. |
| EFFICIENCY | EFFICIENCY |
|
Can reduce heating costs by up to 75% because it transfers heat instead of generating it. If temperatures drop significantly below freezing (typically in the 20s), a heat pump typically switches to an auxiliary or backup energy source, such as heat strips, to generate heat – but that uses much more electricity. |
Two systems typically use more electricity and/or natural gas. Electricitypowered furnaces are less efficient than heat pumps, but they maintain warmth better when temperatures drop into the 20s. |
| COST | COST |
|
Typically costs 10%-15% more up front, but will reduce electricity bills over time. Prices for a new system vary widely — from $6,000 to as high as $25,000, including installation, for a 2,500-square-foot house in Central Texas. System costs vary based on county, size and number of units, features, warranties and maintenance packages. Rebates and tax incentives may be available. Installation costs vary based on system size, design/construction of house, pump brand and efficiency rating. If replacing an existing HVAC system, using existing ductwork can save $1,000 to $5,000, unless upgrades or additions are needed. |
Often lower upfront costs, ranging from $3,900 and $10,000 on average for a 2,500-square-foot Central Texas home. Operating costs can be higher due to inefficiency of systems; cooling costs more comparable to heat pumps with similar efficiency ratings, heating costs typically higher due to price/consumption of natural gas or electricity. Rebates or incentives may be available for high-efficiency furnaces or air conditioners. |
| NEW HOME VS. EXISTING HOME | NEW HOME VS. EXISTING HOME |
|
Ideal for new homes with energy-efficient designs. Retrofitting a heat pump system into an existing home may require upgrades or additions to ductwork, adding to the cost. Ductless mini-split systems, which heat smaller areas such as individual rooms, may be a more cost-efficient solution. |
Easier to install in existing homes with ductwork already in place. Adding or repairing ducts can increase costs, especially in older homes. Some homeowners install two systems — a traditional air conditioning unit for summer, a heat pump for winter. Some also opt for a traditional furnace for use when temperatures drop below freezing. |
| LIFESPAN & MAINTENANCE | LIFESPAN & MAINTENANCE |
|
Can last 10 to 15 years with regular, semiannual maintenance by a qualified installer with heat-pump system experience to clean filters, check refrigerant levels and inspect components. |
Furnaces typically last 15 to 20 years; central air conditioners last 10 to 15 years, on average, in Central Texas. HVAC also needs twice yearly maintenance by experienced technicians for air conditioner in warm months and furnace for cold months. |
| AVAILABILITY | AVAILABILITY |
|
Widely available and growing in popularity, but increased demand may lead to installation delays in some areas. Availability will vary by unit size. |
Readily available with a broad range of sizes and efficiency levels. Installation and repair services are widely accessible due to systems’ long-standing market presence. |
