News, Tips and Links
• WarmWise can help make your home more energy-efficient.
• Get a head start on next year’s heating
season. Enroll in the Budget Payment Plan.
• Check gas appliance connectors for flaws.
Clean • Efficient • Safe • Reliable
Summer 2011
ColumbiaGasKY.com
Turn Your Home into Home, Sweet, Energy-Efficient Home
Hot summer days are good for mowing the lawn, sipping lemonade or taking
a dip in the pool. But summer is also a good time to get your house ready for
winter. These WarmWise energy saving solutions can help you or someone
you know save energy and money when colder days arrive.
Home Energy Audits
A free WarmWise home energy audit from Columbia Gas will tell you where
your house is losing energy and tell you what you can do now to save energy
and money when winter’s chill arrives. Call 1-800-300-8709 today or visit
ColumbiaGasKY.com/WarmWise to schedule your free home energy audit.
We’ll call you to set up the audit at a time that is convenient for you to be
present with our auditor. When your walk-through audit is complete, our
representative will provide you a thorough report with details about your
home’s insulation, natural gas equipment, and suggested weatherization
steps you can take to start saving energy.
Natural Gas Appliance Rebates
This might be the perfect time to replace
one of your natural gas appliances.
WarmWise rebates from Columbia Gas can save you a bundle on a variety of high-efficiency natural gas appliances. Rebate forms are available at
ColumbiaGasKY.com/WarmWise.
Forced Air Furnace (30,000 BTU or greater and 90% efficiency level or greater)
$
Dual Fuel Furnace (30,000 BTU or greater and 90% efficiency level or greater)
$
400
On-Demand (Tankless) Water Heater (0.67 energy factor)
$
Tank Hot Water Heater (40 gallon or greater and 0.62 energy factor)
$
300
300
200
Power Vent Water Heater (40 gallon or greater and 0.62 energy factor)
$
Space Heater (10,000 BTU or greater and 99% efficiency level)
$
250
100
Gas Fireplace (18,000 BTU or greater and 90% efficiency level)
$
100
Gas Logs (18,000 BTU or greater and 99% efficiency level)
$
100
Furnace Replacements for Low-Income Customers
Financially-struggling homeowners can replace old, non-working or
inefficient furnaces with high-efficiency equipment at no cost. This program
is administered by the Community Action Council through its weatherization
program. If you or someone you know could benefit from a new, highefficiency furnace, call the Community Action agency in your area today to find out more about participating in the weatherization program.
Know What to Expect
to Pay with the Budget
Payment Plan
You can enjoy lower bills this winter
by joining the Budget Payment Plan
now. The plan will help to reduce the
impact of weather and gas prices on
your household budget by spreading
your total annual heating cost more
evenly through the year.
Best of all, it’s free—no
enrollment fee, no premiums, no service charges, no hassle!
Enrollment is easy!
Simply pay the budget payment
amount shown on your bill this
month and you’ll be enrolled
automatically. Although you can join anytime of the year, you’ll enjoy
the greatest benefits by signing up
early in the budget cycle so you’ll
have more time to spread your costs.
You can find out your budget
payment amount and enroll online,
too. Visit our Web site at
ColumbiaGasKY.com, click on
“Manage Your Account” and log in to determine what your personal
budget payment amount would be.
You can enroll with the click of your
mouse. While you’re online, be sure
to check out all the other convenient
services that help you manage your
account your way.
Keep
clear
access
to meters
If you don’t live in an area where we
perform automated meter reading,
be sure to keep clear access to your
meter dials for our meter readers to
get an accurate reading. While you’re
working on your lawn this summer,
be sure to trim bushes and trees
around the utility meters. And while you’re shoveling snow this
winter, remember to clear snow and ice from the meters, service line
connections, and overhanging eaves.
If you have an indoor meter, keep the area around the meter clear of
shelving or storage.
While you’re adding new plants to your landscape, be aware of their
potential size and growth pattern.
New plants placed close together
might look great when they’re young,
but can become a jungle as they
grow. Fencing can also make an
attractive addition to your property,
but be careful to keep the meter dials
in easy sight if you try to camouflage
meters and pipes.
Pets can prevent our meter readers
from getting access to the meter, too.
Note the date of your next scheduled
meter reading on your monthly bill
and be sure to keep pets restrained
away from the path to the meter that
day, whether it’s inside or outdoors.
Check your
gas appliance
connectors
Gas connectors are corrugated metal tubes used to connect gas appliances in your home to gas supply pipes. Some older brass connectors might have a flaw in the joint to the end pieces that makes them more susceptible to
failure. Over time, the end pieces can separate and cause a gas leak that could
lead to property damage or injury if not replaced. Uncoated brass connectors
have not been made for more than 20 years, but many of them are still in use.
Although not all uncoated connectors have this flaw, it’s hard to tell which
ones do. Any uncoated brass connector should be replaced with either a new
connector made of stainless steel or plastic-coated brass. Be sure to replace
connectors whenever an appliance is replaced or moved from its location.
Contact a qualified professional appliance repair service to check your
connectors and replace them if needed.
Use only authorized payment agents
To protect yourself and your natural
gas service, please use caution if you
pay your bill in person at a thirdparty payment center. Make sure the
center is one that we have authorized
to process payments. Some local
stores might accept utility payments
as a courtesy to their customers, but
we cannot guarantee that payments
made at an unauthorized location
will be posted to your account on time or even received. Most
important, always keep your receipt
and call us or log into your account
online to report your confirmation
number. Visit our Web site and click
on “Manage Your Account” for a
current listing of authorized
payment agents in your area.
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