Hundreds of people joined Citizens Energy Group today for its annual Be WinterWise Fair. The event, hosted at Citizens’ headquarters on Meridian Street, provides an opportunity for people to learn home heating safety tips and about energy assistance programs.
“Cooler weather will be here before we know it and we want our customers to be as safe as possible while staying warm,” said Carey Lykins, president and CEO of Citizens Energy Group. “While natural gas prices remain stable, we know some customers still struggle to pay their heating bill. Be WinterWise offers a great opportunity for customers to receive information about how to safely and efficiently heat their homes.”
The first 500 guests to attend Be WinterWise received a free smoke detector. The smoke detectors include the latest photoelectric technology, have a sealed 10-year battery and are in compliance with the most recent Indianapolis city ordinance. Guests also had a chance to win a free furnace tune-up with Airtron and enjoyed entertainment from the Colts cheerleaders and Blue.
Citizens offers these simple steps for keeping your house safe and warm, while also saving money:
- Smoke/CO alarms save lives – Ensure you have at least one working smoke and carbon monoxide alarm on each level of your home and regularly check the batteries.
- Inspect your furnace – Have a licensed technician inspect your furnace to ensure safety and efficiency.
- Replace your furnace filter – Changing your furnace filter once a month helps your furnace work more efficiently. Filters for some newer furnaces can be changed every six months.
- Dial down your thermostat – A 10-degree reduction for an 8-hour period each day will reduce your heating bill 10 percent.
- Dial down the water heater – A 10-degree reduction in water temperature saves 5 percent on energy costs.
Citizens also recommends customers enroll in the budget plan to help manage their utility costs. The budget plan spreads utility costs across the year into equal monthly payments. To be eligible for the budget plan, customers are required to be current on their bill and have a good payment history. To inquire about eligibility, or request a budget quote customers can visit CitizensEnergyGroup.com or call (317) 924-3311.
