Dec 14, 2020 | Safety and Security
Whether you love winter, hate it, or simply don’t give a snowflake, we want you to stay safe when a winter storm strikes. ❄️
Electrical safety is just part of the story when the snow starts piling up. We’re ready to safely respond to any resulting power outages. The question is: Are you prepared to stay safe – at home and on the road?
Here are 10 ways to stay safe when Mother Nature really brings the snow.
Snow Removal
- Don’t wear loose clothing, like scarves, that can get pulled into a snow blower’s moving parts.
- Always turn off your snow blower, or unplug it if it’s an electric model, before clearing a clog at the auger or discharge chute.
- Start and run your snow blower outside, never in a garage or enclosed space where carbon monoxide can accumulate.
- If you have a history of heart problems, or you’re inactive, check with your doctor before shoveling. And stretch beforehand to prevent muscle injuries.
- Dress in layers and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. It’s not a race. Take breaks if you get tired.
Driving
- If you don’t have to travel – stay home. Winter weather causes about a half million crashes each year, resulting in over 2,000 deaths.
- If you must drive, slow down, accelerate and decelerate slowly, and increase your following distance to 5 or 6 seconds.
- Going long distance? Let others know your destination, route, and estimated arrival time. Pack a kit that includes blankets and heavy clothing for emergencies, along with extra food and water.
- If you’re stuck, stay with your vehicle. If necessary, clear the exhaust pipe to eliminate deadly carbon monoxide fumes from entering your vehicle. To conserve gas, run your car for short periods, just enough to remove the chill.
Electrical Safety
- Always stay clear of any downed power lines and call PPL at 1-800-342-5775 to report them. Assume any downed line is energized.
Sources: American Automobile Association; Consumer Reports; Mayo Clinic; PPL Electric Utilities
Jan 16, 2020 | Safety and Security
It’s winter storm season in Pennsylvania. Even if you don’t tune into the weather reports, you’ll recognize the signs of an impending storm by the parking lot of your local grocery store.
So how can you prepare in advance and stay safe when a winter storm strikes? We have some tips that will help before, during and after the snowfall.
Before:
- Create a household and vehicle emergency kit with all the essentials, including water, food and any medication you take on a daily basis.
- Listen for weather alerts and advisories so you’re not caught unprepared.
- Charge your cell phone and keep a flashlight nearby in case of a power outage.
During:
- Stay off the roads. This helps clear traffic for first responders.
- If you have a generator, make sure to follow our Emergency Tips for storm and generator safety.
- Stay warm and indoors. It’s a great time to pile on the blankets and cuddle up with a good book.
After:
- When shoveling snow, dress warm and limit your time outside to avoid frostbite and overexertion.
- Monitor the weather alerts and advisories before heading out on the road.
The Department of Homeland Security offers even more information on staying safe during snowstorms. Check out their resources at ready.gov/winter-weather.
Nov 21, 2019 | Energy Efficiency
The holiday season is here. If you’re like us, we kick into holiday overdrive around mid-November. Did you know that Thanksgiving weekend is the most common time to decorate for the winter holiday season?
It’s easy to brighten your holiday celebrations with festive food, fun and decorations while keeping energy efficiency in mind. Here are a few fun, creative and most importantly, convenient ways for you to save this holiday season.
Eat, Drink and Be Merry: The holiday season means spending time with family and friends and spreading holiday cheer. Free up some time to kick back, relax and join the party. The average kitchen accounts for 15% of your home’s energy use, so slaving over a stove can cost you time and money. Try using your smaller appliances (microwave, toaster oven or slow cooker) to whip up holiday-inspired recipes. From quick snacks to desserts, appetizers to entrees, or even a small meal or side, we’ve scoured the web and found some great ideas to help give you a little creative inspiration.
Holiday Recipe Inspiration:
- Elf Food
- Chocolate Molten Lava Mug Cakes
- Peppermint Bark
- Peppermint Bark Hearts
- Peanutty Snowmen
- Pretzel Snowflakes
- Marshmallow Santas
- Mint Oreo Cheesecake
- Strawberry Santa Hats
- Mini Holiday Pretzel Sticks
- Overnight Oats
- Slow Cooker Hot Cocoa
You can find other helpful ideas on our Holiday Pinterest board
- Overnight breakfast
- Breakfast in a mug
- Meals in a mug
- Slow cooker holiday sides
Deck the halls: Make sure your holiday spirit shines through with fun, original, festive – and energy efficient – holiday decorations. You can include your whole family in the fun. Stretch your creative muscles with the following guiding principles:
- Merry and Bright: We want to help you brighten your holiday décor and save energy (and money). It’s time to take a cue from good ol’ Clark Griswold. By using LED holiday lights, you can have a gorgeous display without sending the electric meter spinning. LEDs use 90 percent less energy than regular incandescent light strings, last about 10 times longer, are cooler to the touch and are more durable. Plus, they’re super-bright! Also, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED holiday lights only cost 27 cents to run for 12 hours a day for 40 days, compared with $10 for incandescent bulbs. That’s a pretty big deal. And because LEDs last longer, you’ll save year after year.
- Sparkle and Shine: Time for your holiday spirit to shine through. You don’t need to add extra lights to decorate a tree or put togeter a festive holiday display. Reflective ornaments will make your holiday décor even brighter when combined with LED strands. Using fewer light strings and less electricity is the winning strategy.
- Tick, tock. Beat the Clock: It’s all about timers and convenience. Use a timer for both your indoor and outdoor lights. It’ll keep you from forgetting to turn on your holiday lighting display, or worse, forgetting to turn it off and wasting electricity.
What is your favorite energy-saving holiday tip?
Jan 22, 2016 | Safety and Security
Portable generators can bring you power when storms knock out electricity. But they also can bring heartache if used incorrectly.
Nearly 80 percent of the more than 900 carbon monoxide deaths between 1992 and 2012 were associated with generators. Half of generator-associated carbon monoxide deaths happen between November and February.
If you have a portable electric generator, make sure it’s installed and used correctly. Never operate a generator indoors or in any other enclosed or partially enclosed space, including your garage.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends generators be located at least 20 feet from windows, doors or vents to prevent deadly CO from getting into your home. Of course, CO alarms inside your home also are a smart idea.
Jan 11, 2016 | Energy Efficiency
Another winter. Another polar vortex. Another round of high electric bills?
Not necessarily. There’s plenty of opportunity to manage your home energy use and keep your bill under control. In fact, you could say the coldest snaps offer the biggest chances to save.
Here are some tips on how to save energy and money during this cold week, and during cold weeks to come:
– Heating is the average home’s single biggest energy expense, so improvements here can make a real difference. Try to set your thermostat at 68 degrees, and use a programmable thermostat to turn down the heat when everyone is asleep or out and about.
– Make sure the hot-air vents in your home are open and free from obstruction, so you get all the heat your furnace is churning out. (Kids, especially, have a knack for dropping stuff on top of the vents and leaving it there.)
– It’s best to get your heating system inspected and tuned up for maximum efficiency before cold weather arrives. But, if you haven’t done it yet, you can still get it done, to save energy the next time Canada decides to send us a bulk shipment of arctic air.
If it’s too late to get a full tuneup, you can start by replacing your furnace filter so your furnace doesn’t have to work as hard.
– Simple, quick steps that can keep hot air inside your house include installing special insulators inside electrical outlets and weather-stripping doorjambs.
– If you only want to warm up a small area, a portable heater might be a more efficient choice than cranking up the thermostat. Be sure to use these heaters safely, keeping them away from curtains and furniture and turning them off when you no longer need them.
– Since the cost of generation supply makes up the largest portion of most bills, you can save by buying your electric supply from a competitive supplier. Check out PAPowerSwitch.com to see other offers available to you. Remember to check out the terms of each offer, such as whether the rate is fixed or variable, and whether there are cancellation fees.
We invest in our delivery system year-round to keep it reliable at times like this – replacing old equipment, installing smart grid technology and trimming trees. We had no major system issues from last year’s cold weather and we’re aiming for the same performance this year. If you do have an outage at any time, please report it by calling 1-800-DIAL-PPL (342-5775) or online at pplelectric.com/outage.
Finally, if you or someone you know is concerned about paying their electric bills, you can find out more about our payment assistance programs online, or call 1-800-DIAL-PPL and talk with a customer service representative between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m.
