Staff Report

 

COLUMBUS — Anticipating substantially colder than normal temperatures this week, Columbia Gas of Ohio is asking its customers to reduce their natural gas use as much as appropriate during the latest onslaught of arctic weather.

“Customers who reduce their natural gas use this week will do two very important things,” said Columbia President Jack Partridge. “They will help ensure that adequate supplies are available for everybody, and they can help manage their heating bills during what is expected to be a period of extremely high natural gas consumption.”

Peak natural gas demand is anticipated on Tuesday and Wednesday, when overnight temperatures are expected to drop well below zero over much of the state.

Customers can reduce their natural gas use, stay safe and comfortable and help save money on their heating bills by following some simple tips:

• Set thermostats as low as appropriate to maintain health and comfort.

• Dress in layers appropriate for the temperature setting.

• Limit use of natural gas appliances, especially during the early morning hours.

• Set water heater temperature to 120 degrees.

• Keep doors and windows closed as much as possible, including overhead garage doors.

• Make sure doors have weather stripping and door sweeps.

• Install indoor window insulation kits on leaky windows.

• Seal off unheated, unused rooms.

• Open south-facing curtains and blinds during the day, and close them at night.

• Remove snow and ice from gas meters.

• Take extreme care with space heaters. Make sure they are placed away from combustible materials and, if necessary, properly vented to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.

To report an outage or other emergency, customers should call Columbia Gas at 1-800-344-4077.

More information on energy conservation and cold weather safety is available on the Columbia Gas web site at: ColumbiaGasOhio.com.