MEMPHIS, Tenn. – East Memphis renter Cathey Triggs was shocked to see her electric bill increase by $60 after the deep freeze.
“It’s hard when you ain’t making the money to pay the bills,” she explained.
Like thousands of Memphis renters, Triggs lives in an older home.
As FOX13 has reported, half of all Memphis homes were built before 1978. As the decades go by, insulation wears down.
“The insulation is something that is solvable,” explained Sam Mullins, the owner of Automatic Air Conditioning, Heating, Plumbing and Electric.
Mullins told FOX13 that he has seen insulation in older Memphis homes deteriorate from eighteen inches to almost nothing.
“You could heat it up all day long, but if you lose it through your ceilings and walls and windows, you’re going to have problems,” he explained.
There are other solutions that are relatively easy and affordable.
For example, FOX13 found door sweeps to help keep out the draft for as little as $10.
Caulk is another solution to help seal windows and doorframes. Home improvement stores sell it for as cheap as $3. Triggs plans on asking her landlord to help weatherproof her home for the next big freeze.
“The economy is not giving us enough to pay these bills,” she said.
Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood.
Trending stories:
