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Natural Gas Facts

Energy Conservation Tips

• Installing a programmable setback thermostat can be a convenient and         
   effective way to control heating costs without sacrificing comfort.  
   Customers can set it for a warmer temperature while at home and a    
   lower temperature when no one is at home during the day.

• A dirty furnace filter can drive up the cost of heating a home. Check 
  the furnace and replace or clean it as needed.

• A humidifier - either on a furnace or as a separate unit – can help control heating costs. That’s because it feels warmer with moist air and can set the thermostat lower.

* Adjust register openings to keep various rooms of the house at the desired temperatures. Remember that heat rises; so homeowners may want to partially close registers upstairs.

• Use draperies, blinds, curtains or shutters on all windows to slow the loss of heat through the glass. Keep window covering open on sunny days to let in the sun’s warmth. Close them to insulate against cold outside air at night.

• Rearrange furniture for winter, placing it next to inside walls, instead of outside walls and away from windows. Avoid blocking heating registers and air returns with furniture, draperies or carpet.

• Use kitchen, bath and other venting fans sparingly in cold weather. In just one hour, these fans can blow away a house full of warm air.

• If homeowners have ceiling fans, make sure the mountings are snug and tight. Use clear caulking to seal any leaks that you find as even minor cracks around the base can let in lots of cold air.

• Purchase some inexpensive, precut insulation gaskets and seal out the cold air entering the home through electrical switches and outlet plates, particularly those on outside walls.

• Closet and cabinets on outside walls can leak a great deal of cold air, so make sure the doors fit snugly and keep them tightly closed.

• Close vents and doors in unused rooms and close dampers on fireplaces not in use. Seal leaks around doors, windows, and other openings such as pipes or ducts with caulk or weather stripping.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, the most common places where air escapes in home are.

 * Floors, walls, and ceilings       (31%)
 * Ducts                                 (15%)
 * Fireplace                            (14%)
 * Plumbing penetration            (13%)
 * Doors                                (11%)
 * Windows                            (10%)
 * Fans and vents                   (  4%)
 * Electrical outlets                 (  2%)