Spring into energy savings with tips from Nicor Gas
With the arrival of spring, Nicor Gas is reminding customers that now is a good time to focus on energy-efficient improvements and activities in your home to see savings on your monthly bill.
Whether you rent or own your home, you can follow these easy tips, including:
Program your thermostat: Setting a programmable thermostat to a higher setting when you are not at home can help reduce your energy costs by approximately 10%.
Use ceiling fans: Cooling your home with ceiling fans will allow you to raise your thermostat four degrees. Make sure that your blades are going counterclockwise to push cool air down.
Cook outdoors: Cooking with an oven heats your home, so throwing burgers or hot dogs on the grill instead is a great alternative that will help you reduce natural gas use.
Caulk air leaks: Sealing cracks and openings in your home so that heat does not come in or escape keeps cash in your wallet. Weatherizing with insulation and duct sealing can help you go the extra mile to keep your home efficient year-round while increasing overall comfort.
Get an equipment tune up: Spring is a great time to get your HVAC systems and water heater inspected and tuned up. This will help prevent mechanical issues and give you peace of mind.
For a full list of energy efficiency tips, visit nicorgas.com/tips.
The Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program offers a variety of solutions for customers to save even more money and energy.
Schedule your virtual home energy assessment: Free virtual home energy assessments are available for customers living in single-family homes or two-unit multi-family properties. During your virtual assessment, you'll talk with an energy advisor using a Wi-Fi connected device and show them various areas of your home to understand its energy use. Afterward, you will receive a customized report detailing opportunities for saving energy and money, as well as free products that may include faucet aerators and pipe insulation to save energy throughout your house. As an alternative, you can also take our do-it-yourself assessment on your own!
Apply for a rebate: Residential customers can apply for rebates for eligible products which may include smart thermostats, furnaces, boilers, combination boilers and tankless water heaters. Customers can also apply for rebates for air sealing, insulation and duct sealing improvements by working with a program-approved contractor.
Find contractors for your project: The Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program provides a free online database to find contractors in your area for home, commercial, multi-family property or industrial projects. Visit the Find a Contractor tool at nicorgas.com/findacontractor.
To learn more about the Nicor Gas Energy Efficiency Program offerings, visit nicorgas.com/waystosave.