NAPERVILLE, Ill. – Jan. 18, 2019 – As many areas of the country are facing extreme winter weather Nicor Gas wants to offer customers some tips to keep their families safe and save on their winter heating costs.
The safety of every family we serve is our highest priority; we strongly advise customers to adhere to the following guidelines associated with natural gas meter and appliance venting safety:
Heavy snow and ice may weigh down power lines and tree limbs, causing them to fall. If a natural gas meter is damaged or underground gas line is exposed, immediately leave the area and call 911 or Nicor Gas’ 24-hour emergency response line 888.Nicor4U (642.6748) from a safe location.
Exercise caution removing snow or ice from your natural gas meter assembly. Use your hands or a broom, not a shovel, to brush away snow or ice from your meter and regulator. Never kick or hit your gas meter or its piping with a hammer or any hard object to break away built-up snow or ice.
Nicor Gas is always looking for new ways to reduce costs and drive efficiencies to save money for its customers. Energy efficiency tools and resources give our customers more control over their energy consumption and bill. Some of those efficiencies can start in the home – little changes can add up to big savings with these weatherization tips:
Regularly replace air and furnace filters; most filters should be cleaned or replaced every 60-90 days. A clean filter will allow the system to run more efficiently.
Every family deserves reliable energy at a price they can afford. But for many, wages have stayed the same while the cost of living continues to rise. That’s why Nicor Gas is proactively working to make energy as affordable as possible for our customers. Resources are available to help offset winter heating costs for eligible customers.
Enrollment for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is underway and will continue through May 31 or until funds are exhausted. The federal- and state-funded energy assistance program helps low- and fixed-income families meet their energy needs during the winter heating season. The program is open to all households with income up to 150 percent of the federal poverty guideline, or about $37,650 for a family of four. In Illinois, LIHEAP is administered by the Illinois Department Commerce and Economic Opportunity. For more information or to locate a local application agency, call 877-411-9276.
LIHEAP eligible households may also take advantage of the Percentage of Income Payment Plan. PIPP households pay a percentage of their income toward their utility bill and receive a reduction in outstanding utility bills for every on-time payment made.
Other energy assistance programs available to Nicor Gas customers are:.
For more information about each of these programs or help managing natural gas costs, please visit www.nicorgas.com/residential/energy-assistance.
About Nicor Gas
Nicor Gas is one of four natural gas distribution companies of Southern Company Gas, a wholly owned subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO). Nicor Gas serves more than 2.2 million customers in a service territory that encompasses most of the northern third of Illinois, excluding the city of Chicago. For more information, visit www.nicorgas.com.
About Southern Company Gas
Southern Company Gas is a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlanta-based Southern Company (NYSE:SO), America’s premier energy company. Southern Company Gas serves approximately 4.2 million natural gas utility customers through its regulated distribution companies in four states with 774,000 retail customers through its companies that market natural gas and related home services. Other nonutility businesses include investments in interstate pipelines, asset management for natural gas wholesale customers and ownership and operation of natural gas storage facilities. For more information, visit Southern Company Gas at southerncompanygas.com.
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Media Contact:
Jennifer Golz
o: 630.388.3737 | c: 331.222.8716 | jgolz@southernco.com