PSEG Long Island is marking National Cut Your Energy Costs Day by offering customers practical, low-cost tips designed to help reduce household energy bills during the winter heating season.
“Cut Your Energy Costs Day is a great time to revisit the simple ways that you can make your energy more affordable, while also helping the environment,” said Michael Voltz, director of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at PSEG Long Island. He noted the utility provides free tools that allow customers to assess their home’s energy use and identify opportunities for savings.
Among those tools is PSEG Long Island’s Home Energy Assessment, a comprehensive evaluation of a home’s heating, cooling, insulation, and overall efficiency. The free assessment can help determine eligibility for rebates, incentives, and low-interest financing for energy-saving upgrades.
The utility also emphasized everyday steps that all customers can take immediately to lower energy costs, especially during colder months. Recommended actions include:
- Seal windows and doorframes with weather stripping or caulk, and cover window air conditioners to prevent drafts
- Use ceiling fans set to rotate clockwise on low speed to push warm air downward
- Lower thermostats by one degree, or more during daytime and overnight hours, to reduce heating costs
- Install a programmable or smart thermostat, which ENERGY STAR® estimates can save about $100 annually
- Replace incandescent bulbs with LED lighting, which uses significantly less electricity and lasts longer
- Run dishwashers, dryers, and other high-energy appliances outside the peak hours of 3 p.m-7 p.m. for Time-of-Day rate customers
- Charge electric vehicles during off-peak hours when rates are lower
- Consider installing a high-efficiency air source heat pump, with rebates available