With many residents concerned about the cost of household bills and maintaining a comfortable home, UGI offers these simple tips to help minimize energy usage during the warm weather months:
· If you have a programmable thermostat, set it to the highest possible comfortable temperature if you have central air-conditioning. Raise the temperature if you will not be home for an extended period. You can save three-to-five percent on your air conditioning costs for each degree that you raise your thermostat.
· Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. If you have central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms. Keep air conditioning filters clean.
· Use ceiling and portable fans to circulate air as an alternative to air conditioning. Turn off fans when you leave the room—ceiling fans cool people, not the room.
· Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air leaks around window air conditioners with foam insulation or weather-stripping. Ridding your home of air leaks will also reduce heating costs during the heating season.
· Close blinds, shades, and draperies facing the sun to keep out the sun’s heat and help fans and air conditioners cool more efficiently.
· Avoid placing lamps or TV sets near your room thermostat. The thermostat senses heat from these appliances, which can cause the air conditioning to run longer than necessary.
· Vacuum registers regularly to avoid dust buildup. Ensure than furniture and other objects are not blocking the airflow through your registers.
· Grill outdoors. Using your oven and stovetop creates a significant amount of indoor heat. Save energy by firing up the grill outdoors or prepare meals that don't require cooking.
· About 80 percent of homes have a clothes dryer. Use a low heat setting and clean the lint trap after every load to increase efficiency. Alternately, hang clothes to dry rather than using a dryer.
· Use your bathroom fan when showering. A hot shower produces heat, steam and humidity, which can drive up the room’s temperature. Running your bathroom fan while showering pulls heat and steam out of the room. If you don’t have a bathroom fan, open a window or leave the door ajar to create a current of cooler air.
· Replace your showerhead. You can reduce the amount of water you use by about 30 percent by replacing your showerhead with a low-flow model. This energy saving feature saves water, of course, but also cuts down on your water heater energy usage.
· Eligible UGI customers are also encouraged to learn more about the Low Income Usage Reduction Program (LIURP). This weatherization program offers free installation of energy conservation measures to income-eligible households to help make energy bills more affordable. Possible energy saving measures include ceiling insulation; floor, duct and hot water pipe insulation; caulking and weather-stripping, gas heater repairs and water saving low-flow devices. Visit www.ugi.com/assistance-programs/ for more information.
· Check to see if the energy conservation measures in your home qualify for a UGI Save Smart rebate. UGI offers rebates for both its natural gas and electric customers for installation of smart thermostats, ENERGY STAR® certified appliances and heating systems, and appliance recycling. Visit www.ugi.com/rebates-for-home/ for more information.
Should you have a service-related issue, UGI emergency response is available 24-hours a day, every day. Your safety is always our top priority. UGI can be reached at (800) 276-2722.
UGI Utilities is a natural gas and electric utility with headquarters in Denver, Pennsylvania. UGI serves more than 740,000 customers in 45 Pennsylvania counties and one county in Maryland. Customers and community members are invited to visit the UGI website at www.ugi.com,
our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ugiutilities; or follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/ugi_utilities.
