gasline
published for customers of Piedmont Natural Gas
SPRING 2003
™ the energy within.
WE’LL PAY YOU
$
T O
15O
G E T
*
SpeedPay’s Fee
C H A N G E S
With SpeedPay, you can pay your natural gas bills by phone – instead of writing a check – and it’s available 24 hours a day. SpeedPay’s service is fast and easy, and now, instead of a transaction fee of 2.8% of your Piedmont Natural Gas payment amount, there is a flat fee of $4.95 per transaction. The new fee became effective March 1, 2003, and goes directly to SpeedPay, not Piedmont Natural Gas. Dial 1-866-316-3356 toll-free for Piedmont’s SpeedPay option. SpeedPay is provided in association with SpeedPay Corporation. You must call each time you want to use SpeedPay to pay any month’s bill. SpeedPay Corporation’s fee will be reflected on your bank or MasterCard or Visa credit card statement as Piedmont Natural Gas. When you call SpeedPay, have your checkbook or MasterCard or Visa credit card and your 13digit Piedmont Natural Gas account number (upper left corner of your bill) ready. A friendly, automated voice will greet you, walk you through the steps, and then give you a confirmation message.
I N T O H O T W A T E R !
Replace your existing, non-natural gas water heater with a fast, efficient natural gas model and you’re eligible for $150 rebate check. Simply call your local sales representative at 1-877-279-3636.** Then choose a plumbing contractor from the Gas Advantage Contractor list on our web site at piedmontng.com and have your non-natural gas water heater replaced with a faster, money-saving natural gas model. You’ll enjoy twice the hot water – $150 – and hot water even when the electricity is out! ***Piedmont Natural Gas will mail the $150 check to your home or credit your Piedmont Natural Gas account after you submit the rebate form.
For twice the hot water – and $150...
Call 1-877-279-3636 and talk to your local sales representative Refer to the Gas Advantage Contractor list on piedmontng.com and choose a plumber to replace your existing, non-natural gas water heater with a natural gas water heater Within 30 days of installation, call our sales staff at 1-877-279-3636 to assist you in processing your rebate form Receive your check for $150 within 30 days after you submit the rebate form, or have your natural gas account credited for $150 Ask your Gas Advantage Gas Contractor about Piedmont’s low financing rates for up to 60 months with no down payment – for qualified customers with approved credit. Call us today at 1-877279-3636!
*Not valid for existing natural gas water heaters **Reidsville customers please call 336-349-8234 ***Most natural gas water heaters operate without electricity
No-Fee Auto Bank Draft
If you’d like to have your checking account drafted automatically every month to pay your Piedmont Natural Gas bill, call us at 1-800-752-7504 and we’ll set up an automatic bank draft payment option BA that’s free! DRANK
FT
Store Flammables
S A F E L Y
Never store or use flammables like gasoline or paint thinners in areas near possible ignition sources such as furnaces, water heaters, dryers, refrigerators or other appliances or vehicle and other motors. Invisible vapors from spilled or improperly contained flammables can travel great distances and ignite from a small flame or spark – even from a cigarette or light switch. For automated information about your Piedmont Natural Gas account: 1-800-752-7509 | Customer Information: 1-800752-7504 | Web Address: piedmontng.com
Customer Information 1-800-752-7504 | Visit us on the web at piedmontng.com
HOME
ENERGY
SAFETY:
Natural gas – a very safe fuel
Natural gas is a very safe fuel, particularly with today’s modern equipment. When a natural gas burner is properly adjusted, its primary byproducts are carbon dioxide and water vapor – the same substances that are exhaled as we breathe. When not enough air is available to support combustion, less carbon dioxide is produced and carbon monoxide is produced instead. A person exposed to carbon monoxide may display symptoms of dizziness, headache, nausea, or sleepiness and similar flu-like symptoms. In extreme cases, carbon monoxide poisoning can even be fatal. If you are experiencing CO-related symptoms, get to fresh air (either outside or at a neighbor’s) and call 911.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide results from the incomplete combustion of a fuel that contains molecules of carbon. These materials include such common fuels as coal, wood, charcoal, gasoline, kerosene, natural gas, diesel fuel, heating oil and almost any other combustible material, even tobacco & paper.
chimneys are unobstructed and that wood and coal are never burned in an indoor area without proper venting.
Use Grills Properly
Portable charcoal or gas grills are also intended only for outdoor use and should never be used inside a home, garage, attached or enclosed building.
All energy-related equipment should be properly maintained
Any fossil-fueled equipment should be inspected annually by a professional, as should air conditioning equipment of any type. Vents, equipment and chimneys that are not properly installed, used or maintained are the primary causes of carbon monoxide problems associated with heating equipment and appliances that use fuel oil, kerosene, propane or natural gas.
CO is Odorless and Tasteless
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless, and tasteless gas that is toxic when it’s inhaled and it combines with the body’s blood and prevents oxygen absorption.
Most Carbon Monoxide Problems Caused by Engines
Internal combustion engines produce carbon monoxide even when they are operating properly. A car engine or other type of internal combustion engine should never be operated in an enclosed area, such as a garage, or in the crawlspace under your house. Well over half of unintentional COrelated fatalities are caused by motor vehicle exhaust, mostly from stationary vehicles, according to Centers for Disease Control data.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms
If you purchase a CO alarm, make sure it is certified by a nationally recognized standards organization such as the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) or Underwriters Laboratories (UL). It is also important for the alarm to meet the latest CSA 6.19 or UL 2034 standard.
Burning Solid Fuels Produces Carbon Monoxide
Burning solid fuels like wood or coal also produces carbon monoxide, so it’s important that fireplace flues and
CALL
B E F O R E
YOU DIG
Neither Storms Nor Ice, Snow or Falling Trees...
Severe weather happens – in all seasons. Our lines run underground so you can count on natural gas service even when the power is out – and still enjoy some of the best comforts of home.
they can easily be lit by hand. Just check your operating instructions. And you can always use your natural gas grill to cook outside!
It’s nearly Spring, a time when many of us start digging in our yard or garden. Please remember to take great care before digging or excavating near buried piping or utility lines. Buried piping should be located and marked before any digging begins, and any digging near the piping should be done with hand tools. To locate buried gas piping on Piedmont’s side of the gas meter, please call one of the locating services. In North Carolina, dial the One-Call Center at 1-800-632-4949, or, in South Carolina, the Palmetto Utility Protection Service (PUPS) at 1888-721-7877. This is a free service. The call centers generally operate between 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, and require several days notice for locating lines.
...And Bright lights
Outdoor gaslights stay on when all else goes dark.
...And Warm Gas Logs and Fireplaces
Natural gas fireplace logs don’t require electricity. And their warmth and cheer can really help when the power’s out. Count on natural gas – even when the power’s out. For more information on gas water heaters, ranges, hearth products, outdoor lights and other appliances, call us: 1-877-279-3636.
...Hot Water Always
Since most natural gas water heaters don’t need electricity, you still have hot water no matter how cruel Mother Nature has been. Even when the power’s out. That’s when happiness, and the good life, is a warm bath or shower!
...And Hot Meals
Don’t let a storm keep you hungry. Although most new gas ranges have electric ignition,
CALL:
NC SC
1-800-632-4949
(SC1-PUPS)
1-888-721-7877
™ the energy within.