Stay Safe and Warm, and Take the Chill Out of Your Winter Heating Bill with Important Tips from PECO

Temperatures in the Philadelphia region have taken the polar plunge, but that doesn’t mean you can’t remain warm and cozy in your home. PECO offers many tips to help customers stay safe, and save energy and money despite the freezing temperatures.

Here are some simple things to do right now that will make a difference:

• Don’t block air flow. Make sure your heating vents are not blocked by furniture or drapes.
• Take advantage of natural sunlight. Open curtains and drapes during the day to let the sun warm your home and close them at night for insulation.
• Keep the heat in. Check for drafts around windows and doors, and seal up any openings with weather stripping or even a rolled up blanket. A drafty house lets warm air escape and is much more costly to keep warm – especially on the coldest days of the season.
• Manage your thermostat. Keep thermostats set at a constant, comfortable level. Lower thermostats a few degrees when sleeping or when out for more than a few hours. Large fluctuations in thermostat settings will cause heating systems to work harder, wasting energy.
• Don’t heat unused spaces. Close the vents in unused rooms and shut doors to unused rooms, closets and basements.
• Change the furnace filter regularly. A dirty filter forces the furnace to work harder.
• Don’t forget to turn it off. Turn off any unnecessary lights and electronics.

PECO reminds customers to put safety first. Never use an oven or other cooking device as a heat source for your home. It also is a good idea to check on elderly neighbors and relatives during the extreme cold.

Looking for even more ways to save energy and money? With PECO Smart House Call, we’ll send an energy advisor to your home, provide a personal energy assessment, and offer energy efficient upgrades on the spot. Learn more at peco.com/smartideas.

To manage energy costs, customers also can sign up for budget billing. Budget billing makes short-term fluctuations in monthly bills easier to handle by dividing annual energy costs evenly throughout the year. Customers having trouble managing their bills should contact PECO immediately.

To help those less fortunate stay warm donations can be made to PECO's Matching Energy Assistance Fund (MEAF). The program, funded by voluntary contributions, helps low-income customers restore service or avoid service termination. Donations are matched dollar-for-dollar. To learn more about how to donate to MEAF or to learn more about PECO’s many low-income assistance programs, visit peco.com/help or call 1-800-774-7040.

Customers looking to help a friend, neighbor or loved one also can give the gift of energy. With PECO Smart Gift of Energy, customers can give any amount toward any PECO customer’s electric or natural gas bill. The PECO Smart Gift of Energy amount will appear on a recipient’s future bill as a credit. Learn more at peco.com/gift or call 1-800-597-9514.

Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). PECO serves 1.6 million electric and more than 500,000 natural gas customers in southeastern Pennsylvania and employs about 2,400 people in the region.PECO delivered 85.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas and 37.8 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity in 2013. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater Philadelphia Region's most active corporate citizens, providing leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and culture, education, environmental, economic development and community programs and organizations. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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