While it may feel more like spring, the first day of winter is the
perfect time to prepare heating equipment before temperatures take the
polar plunge. Just as PECO prepares natural gas and electric systems for
winter, customers should prepare too. Heating systems should be checked
now and inspected by a qualified technician to ensure safe and efficient
operation for the season ahead.
Customers using natural gas to heat their homes or businesses also
should remember the following important information to ensure safe and
reliable service this winter:
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Natural gas has no natural odor, so an odorant is added to help detect
when a leak occurs.
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Leaks can be caused by construction or by ground movement during
winter’s deep freeze.
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Reporting a natural gas odor promptly plays a critical role in
ensuring safety.
If you smell natural gas, call PECO at 1-800-841-4141, 24
hours-a-day, every day.
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If you smell a faint odor of natural gas, check to see if a pilot
light is out or if a burner is partially on. If you cannot find the
source, call PECO.
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If you smell a very strong odor of natural gas:
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Evacuate immediately and call 911 and PECO from outside
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Do not turn any electrical switches on or off
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Do not use devices such as phones, radios, doorbells or flashlights
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Do not smoke, strike a match or use a lighter
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Do not start a motor vehicle near the building
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If you smell natural gas outside, especially near a natural gas meter,
call PECO.
PECO works hard to ensure safe, reliable, affordable and clean energy
service for more than 508,000 natural gas customers. The company
inspects and maintains approximately 12,000 miles of natural gas
transmission, distribution and service lines. In addition, PECO responds
to reports of natural gas odors in less than an hour - 99.9 percent of
the time - which is one of the best response times among Pennsylvania
natural gas utilities.
For more information about natural gas safety, visit peco.com/safety.
Based in Philadelphia, PECO is an electric and natural gas utility
subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC). The company’s 2,400
dedicated employees provide advanced, innovative energy solutions to 1.6
million electric and more than 506,000 natural gas customers in
southeastern Pennsylvania. In 2014 PECO delivered 89.9 billion cubic
feet of natural gas and 37.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and
had an estimated economic impact of $4.5 billion in Pennsylvania,
supporting more than 9,600 local jobs and producing $760 million in
labor income. Founded in 1881, PECO is one of the Greater
Philadelphia Region’s most active corporate citizens, providing
leadership, volunteer and financial support to numerous arts and
culture, education, environmental, economic development and community
programs and organizations. For more information visit PECO.com,
and connect with the company on Facebook
and Twitter.
If you are a member of the media and would like to receive PECO news
releases via email, please send your email address to PECO.Communication@exeloncorp.com.
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