Winter Weather Tips

With cold weather increasing, Memphis Light, Gas and Water Division customers can use the following information to stay safe and conserve during the winter.

Energy Conservation:

•          Set your thermostat at 68° or lower when you're home. Every degree below 68° can save four percent on your heating bills.

•          Wear layered clothing and thick socks to keep warm, then set your thermostat even lower.

•          At bedtime, lower your thermostat and add extra blankets.

•          Lower or turn off thermostat when leaving your home for four hours or more.

•          Close garage doors, cover foundation vents, and close off vents and doors to seldom-used rooms.

•          Keep curtains and blinds closed at night and on cloudy days; open curtains on sunny days for warmth.

•          Place rolled-up towels inside against bottom of exterior doors and window sills to block wintry drafts.

•          Adjust your water heater temperature to 120° or "warm." It still provides hot water and avoids scalding. You can lower it when not in use, too.

•          Buy a programmable thermostat and program in lower temps when needed.

•          Make sure central heating air filters are replaced every 30-90 days.

•          Caulk cracks around windows and doors.

Water Pipes: 

Water pipes can burst anytime temperatures are below freezing. A burst water pipe or water heater is considered to be an emergency situation and could pose a danger of flooding the building.

•          Customers should open cabinet doors and turn water to a slow drip to prevent pipes from freezing.

•          Customers can also wrap pipes either in pipe insulation (available at hardware stores) or with towels, clothes, etc. to prevent pipes from freezing.

•          If your pipes freeze, turn off the main valve inside your house (if possible).

Space Heaters and Gas Appliances: 

•          To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning in your home, make sure that all natural gas appliances, such as your water heater, furnace and space heaters, are vented outside.

•          Keep chimneys and flues clear of all debris, and use gas space heaters only according to manufacturers' instructions.

•          We also recommend that you have your gas appliances inspected annually by a licensed professional.

•          Do not use space heaters overnight and when no one is home. Position space heaters so they are not positioned near flammable objects.

•          If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, seek medical assistance immediately and move the victim, if possible, to a well-ventilated area, then call our 24-hour emergency number, 528-4465.

Portable Generators

Portable Generators are a great way to back up your power in case an outage hits your home, but using one can be dangerous unless you follow these important safety tips:

•          Never use a generator indoors or in an enclosed area such as a garage. Generators emit toxic carbon monoxide from the engine exhaust.

•          A generator should only be operated in a well-ventilated and dry area, away from air intakes to the home. It should be protected from direct exposure to rain and snow, preferably under a canopy, open shed or carport.

•          Do not attempt to restore power to your entire house by plugging the generator into a wall outlet. The electricity produced by a generator cannot only ruin your home's wiring and start a fire, it can also feed back into the utility system and energize a line thought to be without power possibly killing utility workers trying to restore power. It can also cause damage to the generator when electric service is restored.

•          Handle fuel carefully. Turn the generator off prior to refueling. Gasoline, kerosene and other flammable liquids should be stored outside of living areas in properly labeled safety containers.

•          Turn off or disconnect all appliances prior to operating a portable generator. Once the generator is running, appliances powered by the generator can be turned on one at a time.