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Con Edison Co. of NY, Inc.: Tips to Beat the Heat: Con Edison Offers Energy-Saving Ideas and Tips on Staying Cool

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^{Published in Business and Finance on Tuesday, July 28th 2009 at 3:26 GMT, Last Modified on 2009-07-28 03:26:27 by Market Wire}  

NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - July 28, 2009) - With temperatures rising and muggy weather expected all week, Con Edison is providing several tips for customers to stay cool and save money.

The company has also launched a series of energy-efficiency videos starring Con Edison employees, posted at [ www.conEd.com ] and [ www.youtube.com/ConEdisonNY ]. Each video features an employee talking directly to customers about strategies for conserving energy, saving money, and helping the environment.

Vito Vavallo, a 34-year veteran at Con Edison, shares tips in a two-minute segment. "What I do in my house, and I recommend it to anyone, is I buy a little stand up fan. Along with the central air conditioning I have a little fan," says Vavallo. "Your goal is to run the air conditioner as little as possible to get the best cooling that you can get and not bring up that cost."

The company also offers these energy-saving tips:

• In times of extreme heat, it's always wise to close shades, blinds and curtains to keep out the sun; about 40 percent of unwanted heat comes right through the windows.
• Set your air conditioner to no cooler than 78 degrees. Setting your air conditioner to lower than that can increase your costs by up to 40 percent.
• Make sure air conditioner filters are clean for peak efficiency.
• Run appliances such as ovens, washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers in the early morning or late at night when it's generally cooler. Another alternative: use a microwave to cook, or a barbecue outside, if possible.
• Unplug your cell phone, BlackBerry and iPod chargers when you're not using them. They may use electricity even when they aren't charging.
• Turn off your monitor when you leave your computer for more than 20 minutes. Screen savers use electricity.

Con Edison is making it easy to find these and many other tips by visiting the company's Web site at [ www.conEd.com/thepowerofgreen ], becoming a fan of Power of Green on Facebook, or following the company on Twitter @ConEdLiz or @ConEdSara.

Customers can report power interruptions or service problems online at [ www.conEd.com ], or by calling Con Edison's toll-free customer service number 1-800-75-CON ED (1-800-752-6633).