For Release: 11/23/2009
Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas Remind Customers to Be Safe This Holiday Season
The utilities also urge customers to continue practicing energy conservation
Chicago, IL - As Thanksgiving approaches and marks the official start of the holiday season, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas encourage customers to put home safety at the forefront as they use their appliances. Taking the time to ensure that furnaces and kitchen appliances are in top operating condition will not only help them run efficiently, but will keep families and friends safe.
"The holidays are an exciting, yet hectic time of year," said Rodrigo A. Sierra, vice president of Public Affairs. "Along with providing safe and reliable natural gas service to customers, we want to ensure they are prepared with information to help them use their heating equipment and appliances safely and comfortably as well as manage their energy needs."
Gas and Furnace Safety Tips
- Make sure the furnace is inspected and cleaned.
- Keep the area around the furnace clutter free to avoid a fire hazard; never store flammables near a furnace.
- Check furnace filters monthly and clean or replace them when necessary.
- Make sure that furnace panels and grills are in place and that the fan compartment door is closed when the furnace is on; leaving these doors open could cause carbon monoxide (CO) to build up in living areas.
- Make sure the flames of a furnace are blue; a yellow flame may indicate the presence of CO.
- Understand the dangers and symptoms of CO, and install CO detectors.
Stove/Oven Safety Tips
- Never leave cooking unattended.
- Keep the stovetop and oven clean; buildup of grease and debris can ignite easily.
- Keep stove area clear of flammable materials; don't leave oven mitts, paper or cloth towels near the stove.
- Do not place or spray aerosols near an open flame.
- Cook on back burners and turn pot handles in to prevent accidental spillage.
- Have a fire extinguisher available no more than 10 feet from the stove.
- Make sure smoke and CO detectors are working and batteries are charged.
- Never use the kitchen oven as a heating source. Ovens produce CO that will escape into the house when the oven door is left open. In addition, the oven could overheat and cause a fire.
As the colder weather hits Chicagoland and holiday celebrations get underway, customers will begin to use more energy to heat their homes and entertain their guests which could result in higher energy bills. "There are many low to no cost steps customers can take to conserve energy and lower their heating bills during the winter months and holiday season," said Sierra. Some low to no costs steps include:
- During the winter months, keep your thermostat between 65-70 degrees. When you go to sleep or leave the house, dial your thermostat down.
- Weatherize! Preventing even the smallest of leaks decreases energy consumption and lowers your bills. A typical home loses a houseful of warm air every hour. Making an effort to prevent heat loss can reduce energy bills by as much as 10 percent.
- Fifteen percent of what you're spending on natural gas probably goes to heating water. Take shorter showers and wait for a full load before you run the washing machine or dishwasher. Set your water heater at "warm" rather than "hot," and use a thermometer to make sure that what comes out of the tap is no more than 120 degrees.
A full list of energy saving and Waste Watcher tips are available at www.peoplesgasdelivery.com and www.northshoregasdelivery.com. For those who may need financial assistance, Peoples Gas customers should contact the Community and Economic Development Association (CEDA) at 1-800-571-2332 and North Shore Gas customers should contact the Lake County Community Action Project (LCCA) at 847-249-4330.
For more information on all energy conservation and financial assistance programs offered by the two utilities, visit www.peoplesgasdelivery.com and www.northshoregasdelivery.com.
About Peoples Gas
Peoples Gas is a regulated natural gas delivery company serves 840,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in the City of Chicago. The company is a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE: TEG). For more information on Peoples Gas, visit the company’s web site: www.peoplesgasdelivery.com.
About North Shore Gas
North Shore Gas is a regulated natural gas delivery company that serves 158,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in 54 communities in Northeastern Illinois. The company is a subsidiary of Integrys Energy Group, Inc. (NYSE: TEG). For more information on North Shore Gas visit the company’s web site: www.northshoregasdelivery.com.
For More Information, Contact:
- Bonnie Johnson (Media)
Manager, Public Relations
(312) 240-4567
(312) 907-7333 (CELL)