PSE&G Suggests A Dozen Ways to Save Money

PSE&G announced in October that it would provide a two-month bill credit for its residential gas customers that would reduce the typical two-month bill to $188.65 from $281.75 for a savings of $93.10. Depending on meter reading schedules, many customers will see some of the credit in November and December, with the remainder in January.

On top of that credit, the gas and electric company suggests that customers save by adhering to their “Cheaper by the Dozen” recommendations:

1.    Lower your thermostat by just one degree, which may reduce your heating bill by 3 percent. Save even more by lowering your thermostat 2 degrees during the day and 5 to 10 degrees at bedtime if health conditions allow.

2.    Clean or replace the furnace filter on hot air heating systems. 

3.    Seal flues in fireplaces you don’t use.

4.    Purchase and wrap an insulation blanket around the tank of your water heater. Wrap the hot water heater outlet pipe with inexpensive flexible insulating tubing to reduce the time it takes for hot water to reach your shower.  Set your hot water heater to no more than 120 degrees.

5.    Install low-flow shower heads and take a five-minute shower instead of a bath. The average household can save up to 25 gallons of water as well as the gas used to heat the water. Install water restrictors on your kitchen and bathroom faucets.

6.    Install compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They last about 10,000 hours - 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs – and use 60-75 percent less electricity.  

7.    Cover window air conditioners to reduce drafts. Install insulated or lined drapes on your windows. 

8.    Use weather stripping or one-sided sticky tape to seal up cracks and stop drafts in windows and doorframes. Caulk smaller gaps. Beneath doors, install common draft guards available at hardware stores. 

9.    On really drafty windows, use a shrink film insulation kit, or make one yourself from plastic and double-face tape.

10.  If you have a door leading outside from your basement, hang a full-size sheet of plastic from the door frame to keep heat from escaping. Seal windows in the basement with plastic to create a barrier against the cold. Keep your garage door closed if the garage is attached to the house.  

11.  Seal wall switches and electrical outlets with small foam gaskets available at home improvement centers and hardware stores. Remove the cover plate, insert the gasket, and screw the cover plate back in place.  

12.  Complete a free home energy analysis online at www.pseg.com for recommendations on how to make your home more energy efficient.