Conservation
To help keep your costs lower during the colder months, follow a few of these energy-saving tips. To learn more, visit the U.S. Department of Energy's Energy Star website.
| Natural Gas Conservation Tips | |
| 1 | Heat only the rooms you are using. Close off unused rooms. |
| 2 | Set your thermostat at the lowest comfortable setting. Try 68°F or lower in the colder months. |
| 3 | Read your gas meter and monitor your gas usage. By reading the meter, you can gauge how fast you are using gas and can make adjustments to stay within your budget. Keep a log of your weekly consumption. |
| 4 | Adjust your gas usage. For example, if halfway into the month you are nearing your budget limit for gas, you can experiment with lower gas heating thermostat settings to see if comfort is adequate while reducing gas usage. |
| 5 | Clean or replace cooling or heating filters monthly. |
| 6 | Have your gas furnace cleaned and serviced by a professional for greater efficiency at least once a year. |
| 7 | Be sure that drapes are not blocking vents. |
| 8 | Keep drapes open during the day to allow sun and closed at night to lower your heating costs in winter. |
| 9 | Insulate your home and caulk/weather-strip around doors and windows. |
| 10 | Insulate your home and caulk/weather-strip around doors and windows to reduce both cooling and heating costs. These openings can consume up to 40 percent of your home's heating and cooling energy. |
| 11 | Seal leaks around wall outlets and switches. |
| 12 | Install door “shoes” or “sweeps” to stop air from sneaking in or out under outside doors. |
| 13 | Insulate your attic. |
| 14 | Place nonflammable insulation or nonflammable pliable materials in gaps around pipes, ducts, fans or other items that enter the attic or basement from a conditioned space. |
| 15 | Make sure your wood burning fireplace damper is closed when not in use to prevent air from escaping up the chimney. |
| 16 | Wash full loads in your dishwasher and let the dishes air dry. Air-drying your dishes may reduce your dishwasher's energy usage by 40 percent. |
| 17 | Reduce the water heater thermostat setting to 120º F and reduce use of heated water for clothes washing. (Caution – some dishwashers require 140º F water.) |
| 18 | Set your water heater temperature control to the pilot position when your home is vacant for two days or longer. |
| 19 | Invest in storm windows or use clear plastic window insulation to help stop cold air from leaking into your house in the winter. |
| 20 | Use a ceiling fan to circulate warmer air down from the ceiling into the living area. |
| 21 | Use a portable or ceiling fan to circulate air and make a breeze. Fans cost less to run and use less energy than air conditioners. |
| 22 | It is important to remember that in addition to gas costs, weather dramatically affects natural gas bills. When temperatures drop, you use more fuel to heat your home and business. By making some minor adjustments in your gas usage, you can save on your heating bill when temperatures fall. |
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