Piedmont Natural Gas is advising customers in the Southeast to prepare for colder-than-normal temperatures expected next week by using available programs and tips to manage their energy bills.
The company provides several online tools for customers, including access to gas usage history, an Energy Advisor that analyzes home efficiency, and calculators for estimating annual costs of water heating, cooking, and clothes drying. Customers can view a video on Piedmont’s website explaining factors that affect natural gas bills.
To help reduce energy use without sacrificing comfort, Piedmont recommends setting thermostats to the lowest comfortable level and installing smart or programmable thermostats. The company also suggests making use of sunlight during winter days by keeping drapes open and closing them at night to retain heat. Regularly changing air filters, setting water heater temperatures to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, sealing homes with caulk or weatherstripping, ensuring air ducts are properly sealed, and adding insulation where needed are additional steps customers can take.
Piedmont offers a free Equal Payment Plan (EPP) program that allows customers to pay a consistent monthly amount based on their annual natural gas usage. This helps avoid fluctuations in billing throughout the year. More information about this program is available on the company’s website.
For those needing financial assistance with utility bills, Piedmont highlights its Share the Warmth program which distributes funds through local agencies regardless of energy source. Customers may also apply for federal support through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Details about these and other assistance options can be found at piedmontng.com/AssistancePrograms as well as state-specific resources at piedmontng.com/WinterBills.
Piedmont Natural Gas serves over 1.2 million residential, commercial, industrial, and power generation customers across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee as a subsidiary of Duke Energy.
“Piedmont says anyone in need can apply for this and other newly available programs to see if they qualify. For more information, go to piedmontng.com/AssistancePrograms. For detailed federal and state-specific information, go to piedmontng.com/WinterBills and click on your state.”
More details about Piedmont Natural Gas are available at piedmontng.com.
###
