Money Saving Tips

General Heating & Cooling Tips

Install a programmable thermostat. This will help you save energy by decreasing your home’s temperature during the evening and when you are away.
Lower the temperature. During winter months, lowering the heat by one degree during any 24 hour period can decrease your heating bill by up to 3%. Set your thermostat to 65 – 68 degrees when you’re home and 60 – 65 degrees during the evening. Try lowering your thermostat to 60 degrees when you’re at work, but do not turn it off because your furnace will have to use more natural gas to return your home to a warmer temperature.
Let in the sunshine. Keep the draperies and shades on your windows open during the day to allow sunlight to enter your home. Remember to close them at night to reduce the chill you may feel from cold windows.
Wear layers and warmer, insulated clothing while indoors. Trapping body heat in multiple, insulated layers near your body will keep you warmer during colder months.
Rearrange furniture or shorten draperies so heating registers and air returns are not blocked.
Have your furnace professionally inspected once a year. Change disposable furnace air filters a minimum of three times a year – more often if they become dirty.
Contact an HVAC professional. If you are interested in upgrading your heating and cooling system.

General Water Saving Tips

Monitor your water bill for unusually high use. Learn how to use your water meter to check for leaks. Your bill and water meter are tools that can help you discover leaks.

Toilet leaks can be silent! Be sure to test your toilet for leaks at least once a year. Put a dye tablet in your toilet tank. If it seeps into the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix it and start saving gallons.

If your toilet was installed before 1992, purchasing a WaterSense® labeled toilet can reduce the amount of water used for each flush.

Conserving Water Inside

When doing dishes, use a dishwasher. If you wash by hand, don’t let the water run. Fill one basin with wash water and other with rinse water.
If you accidentally drop ice cubes, don’t throw them in the sink. Drop them in a house plant instead.
Capture tap water. While you wait for hot water to come down the pipes, catch the flow in a plastic tub or watering can to use on house plants.
Ditch the baths. Just by switching to showers, you'll save gallons of water and money.
Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don’t have to run the water while it heats up. This also reduces energy costs.

Conserving Water Outside

Leave lawn clippings on your grass, this cools the ground and holds in moisture.
Put a layer of mulch, or bark around trees, it slows down evaporation and can save a lot of water.
Remember to weed your lawn and garden regularly. Weeds compete with other plants for nutrients, light and water.
Water your lawn only when needed. Step on your grass. If it springs back, when you lift your foot, it doesn't need to be watered.
Re-use rainwater. Invest in a water collection tank or a rain barrel to catch roof run-off to water outdoor plants and gardens.
Don’t leave the garden hose running free while washing your car. Save up to 10 gallons per minute! Washing your car with a running hose can use up to twice as much water as a commercial car wash.

By challenging yourself to conserve by using some or all of the above tips you can save money as well as conserving water and helping the environment.

Street, Water, Sewer:

218-730-4000

Natural Gas:

218-730-4100