News Release > Don’t Drop the Ball on Energy Savings This Year

Don’t Drop the Ball on Energy Savings This Year

12/30/2017

BATON ROUGE – It’s an exciting time of year, as Americans count down to 2018 and watch the illuminating crystal ball drop in New York City. This is a time to reflect on changes that can make a big difference in 2018.

Why not make energy usage one of those changes? It doesn’t take much to save big. So, as we count down to a new year, here’s a countdown to ways you can save.

10. Make a resolution to save energy and stick to it. Put a sticky note on your thermostat to remind you to set it and forget it! Set your thermostat at 68 degrees or the lowest comfortable temperature. Each degree over 68 degrees will add approximately 3 percent to your heating bill.

9. Feel around the entrances to your house. If you feel cold air coming under the doors, near the windows or even through your outlets, that means the valuable heat you’re paying for is being wasted! Get a draft guard, weather-stripping or caulk and fill those gaps. You’ll be amazed at how much better you’ll feel. Also, keep all doors and windows closed. Constant traffic in and out will let out the warm air, forcing your heater to work harder to keep the room at the temperature you set.

8. Let the sun shine through. If you have drapes or blinds, open them. The sun is a natural heater that can keep you comfortable on cold winter days. Keep in the heat at night by closing them after the sun has set.

7. Keep the air circulating. Don’t block heat registers for cold air returns with curtains or furniture.

6. Safety with heating systems. Conserve hot water. Wrap your hot water heater with a water heater blanket and set the thermostat to 120 degrees or medium.

5. Make sure fans are turning the right way. In the winter, switch the rotation of your fans. They should be run at a low speed clockwise. That way cold air isn’t blowing down on you.

4. Make sure you replace your air filters regularly and get your heating unit checked. You want these appliances to be in tip top shape when it’s cold outside! Installing an insulating blanket for your electric water heaters is also a good way to keep costs down.

3. If you can’t use it, don’t. No need in heating an empty room or house if you’re not at there to enjoy it. Adjust the thermostat when you leave – just make sure to remember your pets and if it’s really cold, your pipes!

2. Don’t let your pretty fireplace get the best of your energy bill. Install a top-sealing chimney damper, a fireback cast iron plate in the back and fireplace glass doors to get the most advantage of your pretty but drafty chimney.

1. The top way you can save money this new year is online. Visit entergy.com for more great energy efficiency tips and programs to save you money, as well as helpful payment options and other tools to help you budget for the cold months ahead.

“For customers struggling to pay their winter energy bills, we have solutions to help,” said Dennis Dawsey, Entergy’s vice president of customer service in Louisiana. “We have a program that assists elderly and disabled low-income customers through our customer-assistance fund called The Power to Care. It is funded by Entergy employees, customers and shareholders. There are also local agencies that can help.”

For more information on The Power to Care and other programs that can help residents with bill assistance, visit the Help for Paying Your Electric Bills section of the Entergy website.

Entergy Louisiana, LLC provides electric service to more than 1 million customers and natural gas service to nearly 93,000 customers in the greater Baton Rouge area. With operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana, the company is a subsidiary of Entergy Corporation.

Entergy Corporation is an integrated energy company engaged primarily in electric power production and retail distribution operations. Entergy owns and operates power plants with approximately 30,000 megawatts of electric generating capacity, including nearly 9,000 megawatts of nuclear power. Entergy delivers electricity to 2.9 million utility customers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. Entergy has annual revenues of approximately $10.8 billion and nearly 13,000 employees.

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