NEWARK, N.J., June 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- PSE&G
residential customers will pay 4.9 percent less for electricity
this summer as the result of a price reduction that took effect
June 1. Even so, demand for
electricity rises as the weather gets hot and people turn on fans
and air conditioners, and so the utility is offering the following
tips to help customers reduce energy use and control costs.
- Install a programmable thermostat. If health conditions
permits, raise the setting from 73 to 78 degrees. You can save 3 to
5 percent on your air conditioning costs for each degree you raise
the thermostat.
- Close doors leading to uncooled parts of your home. If you have
central air conditioning, close off vents to unused rooms. Keep
filters clean.
- Plant shade trees close to the house on the south and west
sides.
- Seal holes and cracks around doors and windows. Eliminate air
leaks between window air conditioners and windows with foam
insulation or weather-stripping.
- Turn off power sources. TVs, computers and other electronic
devices draw power when they are in standby mode or turned off but
still plugged in. Plug electronics into power strips and turn off
the power switch when the items are not in use.
- Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use 75
percent less electricity and burn more coolly than incandescent
bulbs. CFLs are especially handy in hard-to-reach fixtures and
won't need to be replaced for about five years.
- Use timers and motion detectors on indoor and outdoor
lighting.
- Delay heat-producing tasks such as laundry until later in the
day. Wash full loads, using cold water whenever possible.
- Run the dishwasher at night, using the shortest cycle that will
get the dishes clean. If manufacturers' directions permit, turn the
dishwasher off before the dry cycle or use the air dry feature if
your machine has one.
- Take short showers. They use less hot water than a bath.
- Replace old appliances with new energy efficient Energy Star
appliances.
- Unplug the extra refrigerator in your garage or basement and
use it only when necessary. Refrigerators that are only 10 years
old can use twice as much electricity as new Energy Star labeled
models.
- If possible, install whole-house fans that bring in cooler
night-time air that can pre-cool a house and reduce energy use in
the daytime if heat is kept out by closing windows and shades.
- Take advantage of PSE&G's Home Energy Toolkit. It helps you
analyze your home energy use and then provides customized energy
saving tips. To access the Home Energy Toolkit, log in to My
Account at pseg.com.
To view demonstrations of how to save money in your home, visit
PSEG's YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/psegvideo (PSE&G
Summer Energy Savings Tips). We encourage you to share the
information with family and friends.
For additional ways to save energy and money, visit
www.pseg.com/customer/home.
Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is
New Jersey's oldest and largest
regulated gas and electric delivery utility, serving nearly
three-quarters of the state's population. PSE&G is the
winner of the ReliabilityOne Award for superior electric system
reliability. PSE&G is a subsidiary of Public Service
Enterprise Group Incorporated (PSEG) (NYSE: PEG), a diversified
energy company (www.pseg.com).
Want to know what's new at PSEG? Go to
www.pseg.com/getnews and sign up to have our press
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Contact for customers: 800-436-7734
SOURCE Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G)