Please Call to Make Payment Arrangements

WASHINGTON - Pepco reminds residential customers that as the winter heating season progresses, it is important to take control of energy usage. "We are sensitive to the fact that the extreme cold is already impacting our customers' bills," says Thomas Graham, Pepco Region President. "People are using more electricity to stay warm and billing periods have increased for a small percentage of our customers due to the December snow storm and the holiday season. If customers have problems paying their energy bills, we ask that they please contact Pepco immediately to work out a payment plan."

The number to call is 202-833-7500. Customer service representatives also have information about energy assistance programs in the District of Columbia (LIHEAP and RAD) and in Maryland (MEAP).

Pepco also reminds customers that heat pumps work harder to keep homes comfortable when the outdoor temperature falls to about 35 F or below. At that point, the supplementary heat is automatically activated. Customers will know it is running by the indicator light for supplementary heat or "Aux" (auxiliary heat) on their thermostats. To keep your energy costs down, Pepco recommends a thermostat setting of 68 F or lower. Heat pumps need to stay at a constant setting unless you have a programmable electronic heat pump thermostat with adaptive recovery. Check with your heating or air conditioning contractor to determine the type of thermostat you have. Programmable electronic heat pump thermostats help customers save money by allowing customers to program the thermostat to automatically adjust the home temperature at various pre-set times. You can save 3 percent on your heating costs for every degree you reduce the temperature below 70 degrees.

Winterize windows and doors with weather stripping (for all moveable joints) and caulk (for non-moving parts). Install a window kit to the inside of windows to help keep out cold and keep in warm air. Change filters at least monthly; excessive buildup of dust on the filters increases power drawn by the air handler fan and reduces airflow through the system, reducing performance.

Again, for more information call Pepco at 202-833-7500 or visit pepco.com.

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Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: POM), delivers safe, reliable and affordable electric service to more than 750,000 customers in Maryland and the District of Columbia.