NORTH TEXAS (WBAP/KLIF News ) -An arctic cold snap will move through North Texas Thursday night and Atmos Energy is urging homeowners to be prepared.
Temperatures are forecasted to plunge to below freezing during the afternoon and to 10 degrees overnight.
The company laid out several tips to conserve energy, keep warm and stay safe during the frigid winter weather.
- Never use an oven or gas stovetop to heat your home.
- Protect natural gas meters. Natural gas meters are weather-proof; however, to ensure that the meter keeps working smoothly, remove snow and ice from natural gas meters with a broom or brush.
- Safely remove snow from vents for dryers and other natural gas equipment. Blocked vents for dryers and other gas appliances can lead to a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide gas.
- Minimize the risk of frozen pipes. Leave faucets running at a trickle, leave cabinet doors open,and close all doors and windows to keep heat inside.
- If you think you smell gas, act fast! Leave the area immediately and from a safe distance call 911 and the Atmos Energy emergency number, 866.322.8667 https://www.atmosenergy.com/safety/recognizing-leak
Kristin Goodwin is with Atmos and urged residents to avoid these common mistakes.
“Not unplugging electronic devices and turning off lights that are not in use. Make sure to install a SMART or programmable thermostat to automatically control your heating and cooling temperatures. Sometimes you may forget to do that when you’re away from home and that could make your bill really increase,” she said.
There are also ways for homeowners to conserve energy and save money.
“You can lower your thermostat to 58 degrees when you are at home and keep it at 68 degrees when you are at home,” said Goodwin.
Atmos Energy also urges all North Texans to stay weather aware.
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