Gas News Release

November 21, 2000

Dominion Peoples Offers Consumer Tips on Conserving Energy

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Dominion Peoples suggests these tips to help consumers save dollars and conserve energy during the upcoming heating season.

INSULATION 
Home insulation is the most important energy saver. If you install or add insulation, your savings will continue year after year and will actually increase if the cost of energy goes up as well.

CHECK YOUR HEATING SYSTEM 
Always make certain to have your heating system checked by a qualified heating contractor before the cold months arrive. You can look under “Heating and Cooling Contractors” in the yellow pages of your local telephone book. Clean or replace your furnace filters once a month during the winter months since they can become clogged and restrict the airflow.

WATCH THE THERMOSTAT
Keep your thermostat set at a comfortable temperature of 68 degrees during the day and lower it to 55 degrees when you go to bed or are away for more than 8 hours. Thermostats should also be located on an inside wall away from drafts or potential sources of heat which will make them difficult to regulate.

DON’T BLOCK HEAT REGISTERS 
Always make sure that your heat registers are not blocked by heavy curtains and furniture. If you have adjustable registers, direct the warm air flow across the floor.

TURN LIGHTS OFF 
Always turn off lights that are not needed if leaving a room for more than a few minutes. To save even more, you can replace all household bulbs with the lowest wattage acceptable.

SAVE ON HOT WATER 
Did you know that one leak on a hot faucet will use over 3,280 gallons of water annually? Not only will you waste water, but energy to heat the water as well. Use dishwashers the smart way and only operate them with a full load and use the “air-dry” feature if available. Generally, a shower will use less water than bathing and by installing an energy-saving shower head, you can save from 6 to 8 gallons of water per minute.

STORM WINDOWS AND DOORS 
Installing storm windows and doors is another excellent way to insulate your home. As much as 6 to10 percent of heat is lost from inefficient windows and doors. If you want a less expensive alternative, cover your windows with clear plastic that is at least 6mm thick. Always install weather stripping around door jambs and windows, it creates an airtight seal that can save you as much as 7 to 10 percent.

COOKING TO SAVE 
Only preheat your oven when necessary. If you can, use your microwave instead. Ovens which have a “self-clean” feature are much more energy- efficient since they offer thicker insulation and will retain heat longer. Make sure that you use the self-clean feature on your oven only when absolutely needed. To avoid heat loss and keep energy efficiency up, don’t peek into an oven while it’s cooking by opening the door. For safety reasons, never use an oven for space heating.

GENERAL ADVICE TO KEEP IN MIND 
Let nature help you by opening drapes and shades facing the sun to help create warmth. After sundown, close the shades for greater insulation. Replace out-dated and inefficient appliances with newer high efficient appliances that save money. When purchasing appliances, look for the “Energy Star” label which will help to identify highly efficient appliances and products. By choosing “Energy Star” products when replacing appliances, a typical household could trim about 30 percent from their energy bill annually. After you purchase new appliances, make sure that you read the manuals carefully and follow the manufacturers instructions.

Dominion Peoples is a subsidiary of Dominion, the nation’s largest fully integrated natural gas and electric company, providing energy to more than 4 million homes in five states. More information on Dominion can be found on the Internet at www.dom.com.

Editor’s Note: If you are interested in doing a story on energy audits and conservation, a customer and company officials are available to talk about this program.