CenterPoint Energy Issues Important Tips to Help Lower Consumption, Better Manage Natural Gas Bills
10 Febbraio 2010 - 4:19PM
PR Newswire (US)
Colder weather this winter leads to increased customer usage,
higher gas bills HOUSTON, Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
CenterPoint Energy (NYSE:CNP) is issuing important tips to help
customers lower their gas consumption and better manage their
natural gas bills. (Logo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020930/CNPLOGO) The size of
home heating bills primarily reflects two factors: the price of
natural gas and the amount of gas the customer is using - which is
often related to weather. This winter has been significantly colder
than last; therefore customers have been consuming more natural gas
for heating needs. And since the furnace is the largest natural gas
consuming appliance in the home, making up anywhere from 50 - 70
percent of a typical winter natural gas bill, its usage greatly
impacts the total bill amount. If a customer still thinks their
bill is unusually high, CenterPoint Energy recommends the following
tips: -- Check your meter reading to compare it to the "current
reading" amount listed on your bill. If the reading you see on your
gas meter is lower than the "current reading" amount on your bill,
contact CenterPoint Energy. For instructions on how to read your
meter, follow the instructions on the back of your bill. -- Visit
http://www.centerpointenergy.com/promo/selfservice to enroll in My
Account Online and compare your gas usage history for the previous
15 months. -- Visit http://www.centerpointenergy.com/paybill for a
variety of payment options including paying by phone with a credit
or debit card or electronic check. This service is provided by
BillMatrix for a fee. CenterPoint Energy does not receive any
portion of this fee. -- Enroll in CenterPoint Energy's Average
Monthly Billing program to help you avoid winter bill peaks by
spreading your natural gas costs throughout a 12-month period. --
Contact CenterPoint Energy at the number listed on your bill as
soon as possible if you are having difficulty or anticipate having
difficulty paying your natural gas bill or have received a
disconnect notice. We will discuss payment arrangements, provide
information about Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program
(LIHEAP) funds and connect you with social service agencies that
may qualify you for payment assistance. CenterPoint Energy also
recommends that customers take advantage of the many low-cost,
no-cost things they can do around the home to save energy and
money: -- Lower your thermostat to 68 degrees when you're home and
even lower when you're not. By lowering your thermostat 10 - 15
percent for eight hours a day, you can save up to 10 percent a year
on your heating costs. Installing a programmable thermostat can
help you automatically control your heat usage. -- Change your air
filters monthly. A dirty filter restricts airflow and can increase
the operating cost of your furnace by as much as 10 percent. A good
reminder is to change the filter each time you receive your natural
gas bill. -- Set your water heater temperature at 120 degrees and
wrap water heater pipes. Lowering the temperature to 120 degrees
from 140 degrees and insulating your pipes can save you up to 10
percent on your water heating costs. -- Seal leaks around doors,
windows and other openings such as pipes or ducts, with caulk or
weather-stripping. The most common places where air escapes in
homes are floors, walls and ceilings, ducts, fireplaces, plumbing
penetrations, doors, windows, fans and vents, and electrical
outlets. -- On sunny days, open draperies and blinds to let the
sun's warmth in. Close them at night to insulate against the cold
air outside. Customers can visit
http://www.centerpointenergy.com/readyforwinter for more helpful
information on ways to save energy and money. To stay safe while
staying warm: -- Follow manufacturers' operating instructions
properly for gas heating equipment and do not use stovetop burners
or ovens to heat a room since they are not designed for this use.
-- Make sure the fireplace damper is open at all times when using
gas logs. -- Crack windows slightly if using unvented space heaters
and consider buying a CO detector as another line of defense
against CO poisoning. If you smell gas: -- Leave immediately and
tell others to do the same. Do not use electric switches,
telephones (including cell phones), or anything that could cause a
spark. -- Go to a safe location and call CenterPoint Energy. Do not
use e-mail or the Internet to contact the company about a leak, and
never assume someone else has reported the leak. CenterPoint
Energy, Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas, is a domestic energy
delivery company that includes electric transmission &
distribution, natural gas distribution, competitive natural gas
sales and services, interstate pipelines, and field services
operations. The company serves more than five million metered
customers primarily in Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi,
Oklahoma, and Texas. Assets total nearly $19 billion. With about
8,800 employees, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies
have been in business for more than 135 years. For more
information, visit the Web site at
http://www.centerpointenergy.com/. Contact: Alicia Dixon
713.207.5885 http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020930/CNPLOGO
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: CenterPoint Energy, Inc.
CONTACT: Alicia Dixon of CenterPoint Energy, Inc., +1-713-207-5885,
Web Site: http://www.centerpointenergy.com/
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