WINTER IS HERE, HEATING HELP IS AVAILABLE

Protection from having your Gas or Electric Service Shut-Off this Winter.
Massachusetts protects our most vulnerable citizens from having electric or gas heating service shut off. If you cannot afford to pay your gas or electric heating bill, your utility may not terminate your service if:

* All residents in your household are over 65 years old, OR
* You have a financial hardship AND either:

If you fall into any of these categories, contact your utility immediately to apply for protection. You will be required to provide certification of your eligibility for account protection.

Budget Billing.
Contact your Gas or Electric utility to set up a Budget Billing plan which spreads your payments into twelve equal, monthly amounts over the year.

This will help you avoid high bills during the cold winter months.

Payment Plan.
 If you have an overdue balance that you cannot pay in full, a payment plan allows you to pay equal monthly installments along with your current bill, until you pay off the balance. Contact your utility company to set up a payment plan.

       Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), also known as Fuel Assistance, provides direct payment subsidies to help income-eligible families in Massachusetts pay winter heating bills. Consumers apply directly to a local fuel assistance provider in their cities or towns. To determine which agency to apply to, call the Department of Housing and Community Development's Heat Line at 1-800-632-8175 (information is available in English and Spanish), or visit the website at http://www.mass.gov/dhcd. The website provides a list of local fuel assistance agencies as well as the income eligibility guidelines.

      Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and "HEARTWAP" assist low-income households in reducing heating bills by providing home energy conservation services and heating system repair and replacement. For more information, call 1-800-632-8175, or visit http://www.mass.gov/dhcd.

     Utility Discount Rates are available to Gas and Electric customers who meet income qualifications. Discounted rates lower your monthly energy bill. Contact your utility to see if you are eligible.

     The Good Neighbor Energy Fund, administered by the Salvation Army, provides energy assistance to customers who don't qualify for federal or state funds. Applications are accepted at local Salvation Army Service Centers. For more information on income eligibility, call 1-800-334-3047 (in area codes 617, 508, 781,

978) or 1-800-262-1320 (in area code 413), or visit www.magoodneighbor.org.


 

WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON YOUR WINTER HEATING BILLS

Whether you heat your home with gas, oil, electricity or some other fuel you can save money by "winterizing your home." By taking steps to make your home more energy efficient you will lower your energy consumption and thereby reduce your heating bill.

15 Things To Do Now To Winterize Your Home

1. Caulk or weatherstrip windows and doors to prevent heat loss.
2. Make sure warm-air registers are not blocked by furniture, carpeting, or drapes.
3. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically drop to a lower temperature at night and at times when you are away from your house.

4. Tape a sheet of aluminum foil (shiny side out) to the wall behind radiators; this will help make them more efficient.

5. Insulate your attic, walls, basement, and crawl space.
6. Install storm windows and doors to help keep out drafts.
7. Move chairs and beds away from exterior walls; these are usually the coldest walls in the house.
8. Install aerating, low-flow faucets and showerheads to save hot water.
9. Lower the thermostat on water heater. Factory settings may be higher than necessary. A setting of 120º provides comfortable hot water for most uses and can save on water heating costs.

10. Insulate the first 6 feet of hot and cold water pipes connected to the water heater to avoid heat loss.
11. Drain a quart of water from your water tank every 3 months to remove sediment that impedes heat transfer and lowers the efficiency of your heater.

12. Clean and replace filters on furnace once a month or as needed to permit better air flow through the house.
13. Clean warm-air registers, baseboards heaters, and radiators.
14. Keep the damper closed when your fireplace is not in use to keep warm air in.
15. Keep the draperies and shades on windows open during the day to allow the sunlight to enter your home