Safety tips and conservation advice can be found at entergy-louisiana.com

BATON ROUGE, La. – With cooler temperatures predicted for the coming weekend and over Christmas in the Baton Rouge area, customers are likely to be cranking up their gas heaters to battle the chill. Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. wants to pass along a few gas safety tips as well as conservation measures to help those customers reduce their energy use, manage costs and – most of all – enjoy a safe holiday and winter season.

“Safety is our top priority,” said Sheila Pounders, regional customer service manager in the Baton Rouge area. “Entergy works hard to ensure safe, reliable service for our customers every day. We want to make sure that everyone knows they have the power to conserve energy, save money and, most importantly, operate their heating systems as safely as possible. Some customers may have turned on their heat for the first time this year, so now is when reviewing gas safety tips is most important.”

Gas Safety Tips:

• Have a licensed professional thoroughly check your heat exchanger, flues and vents regularly associated with gas heating equipment.

• Clean or replace filters regularly before they become clogged with dirt. Install new filters per the manufacturer's instructions.

• Maintain your pipes and check your chimney associated with gas fireplaces. The chimney should be examined annually and cleaned regularly by a professional.

• Customers should not use candles or other flammable devices to warm their homes.

• Customers can visit entergy-louisiana.com for more important gas safety tips.

If a customer loses gas service or smells gas in the home, Entergy offers the following gas safety guidelines:

• Customers who smell natural gas or suspect a gas leak should immediately call 1-800-ENTERGY (before doing so, customers should step outside of the home as using a telephone could ignite a spark).

• Open windows, top and bottom, to let gas escape.

• Refrain from using devices that might create a spark, such as light switches, flashlights, electric garage door openers and even computers.

• Check the pilot light of gas appliances (furnace, range, water heater, etc.)

• Do not try to relight a pilot light that is out.

• Leave the premises.

Taking Steps to Conserve

Now is also an ideal time to make some simple home adjustments to ensure winter chills stay outside. Entergy Gulf States Louisiana offers these tips to keep warm and help customers better manage their energy bills:

Heating can account for as much as 55 percent of your monthly electric bill. Setting the thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter is an easy way to reduce how much energy you use. Every degree above 68 on the thermostat can increase your bill by about 3 percent.

Wall seams and places where electrical, plumbing or heating systems penetrate your home should be sealed. Additionally, weatherize the attic hatchway and install insulating gaskets on all electrical outlets and switches.

Other Tips to Conserve Energy:

• Wrap the water heater and the pipes going into and out of the tank with insulation (please consult the retailer and/or manufacturer instructions before installing).

• Open drapes to let in solar heat during the day. Close them at night to reduce heat loss.

• Check air conditioning or furnace filters every 30 days. Clean or replace them as needed.

• Do not block heat registers or air returns with curtains or furniture.

• Keep all doors and windows closed when the heat is on.

• Close the damper on fireplaces when not in use.

• Set the thermostat back to 55 degrees if away from home for several days.

Customers can find answers to a variety of energy-related topics, including what goes into energy costs and what Entergy Gulf States Louisiana is doing to ensure affordable energy in the future, at Entergy-Louisiana.com/savemoney. The website also offers a series of easy to use tips that can help customers take control of their energy use and lower their monthly energy bills.

Entergy’s Louisiana utility companies serve more than one million customers through the operating companies Entergy Louisiana, LLC and Entergy Gulf States Louisiana, L.L.C. With operations in southern, central and northeastern Louisiana, the companies are part of Entergy Corporation’s electric system serving 2.7 million customers in Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Texas.

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Twitter: @EntergyLA