As colder temperatures arrive, and residents and businesses should prepare by having their heating systems serviced, installing Carbon Monoxide detectors, taking steps to become more energy efficient and learning of payment options and assistance programs to help manage cold-weather energy bills.

Payment Options and Assistance Programs
“Some families may need payment assistance this winter, and several programs are offered,” said James P. Laurito, President of Central Hudson. The Home Energy Assistance Program, or HEAP, is available beginning Nov. 16. “This important benefit is offered through the various county Department of Social Services and Office for the Aging, and can provide eligible families with needed payments toward their heating bills,” said Laurito. For example, this season a family of two earning up to $33,672 per year or a family of four earning up to $49,524 per year may be eligible to receive a HEAP grant of up to $250 for natural gas or electric heat. HEAP grants up to $450 are also available to households heating with oil, kerosene and propane. Households can also visit www.MyBenefits.ny.gov to determine their HEAP eligibility and view a wide range of other public assistance benefits.

Other payment assistance programs are also available, such as the Powerful Opportunity Program to help income-qualified customers manage their monthly Central Hudson bills, reduce their past due amounts and learn about energy efficiency; deferred payment arrangements to pay past due amounts over time; and the Good Neighbor Fund, a last-resort grant administered by the Salvation Army and funded through donations and contributions from Central Hudson customers and shareholders.

Central Hudson’s Budget Billing program is another way resident can manage heating bills by spreading the estimated annual cost of electricity and natural gas into even, monthly payments. “Budget Billing eliminates seasonal highs and lows in utility bills with a regular and predicable payment, and many customers have also saved time and money by combining Budget Billing with one of our automated electronic payment options, such as eBills,” said Laurito.

Energy Efficiency and Winter Safety
“As the weather becomes colder, heating systems are turning on and should be checked and serviced to ensure they operate efficiently and safely,” said Laurito. “Chimneys and flues and should also be cleared of possible debris that may have accumulated during the summer and fall seasons, which could prevent flue gases from venting properly and causing a build-up of deadly carbon monoxide gas in the home.”

Carbon monoxide, or CO, is an odorless, colorless gas produced by burning any fuel, including oil, propane, wood, natural gas and kerosene. Exposure can cause symptoms including sleepiness, dizziness, nausea, loss of consciousness, and even death. “Homes should be equipped with a carbon monoxide detector as a safety precaution to warn of its presence, and those with detectors should have the battery replaced regularly,” he said. If carbon monoxide is suspected, the building should be evacuated, and the cause addressed by a service technician. Occupants should seek medical attention as necessary.

“This time of year is also ideal for implementing energy efficiency measures,” said Laurito. “Central Hudson offers many energy efficiency programs for homes and businesses, including rebates on new, high-efficiency natural gas and electric heating systems, and incentives up to $600 for home air sealing using blower-door testing by a certified home care specialist.”

Other efficiency measures homeowners may take include:

• Insulating ducts and hot water pipes where they run through uninsulated areas, such as crawl spaces, and repairing leaks in the duct system;
• Adding insulation to the attic;
• Turning down thermostats (each degree saves up to three percent on energy use);
• Keeping radiators and heating ducts clear of furniture to allow heat to circulate freely; and/or
• Sealing air leaks with weather stripping and caulk, which can save up to 10 percent on the use of heating fuels.

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