DALLAS – Below freezing temperatures have settled in for the next several days, including the possibility of snow and ice accumulations early next week. Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration in all 254 counties because of severe winter weather impacting the state. Atmos Energy reminds customers to heed the guidance of local leaders and stay alert to changing weather conditions in their area, while following a few easy tips to conserve energy, keep warm, and stay safe during this historic winter event.

Conserve energy:

• Every degree makes a difference. Save energy and money by lowering your thermostat to at least 68 degrees.
• Don’t forget the water heater. Lower the maximum temperature to 120 degrees, because your water heater can account for as much as 25 percent of the energy consumed in your home.
• Harness the power of the sun. Open curtains on your south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat your home, and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
• Keep your fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning. Leaving the damper open is like keeping a window wide open – warm air goes right up the chimney!
• Change furnace filters once a month during winter. Dirty air filters can lead to dust, dirt, and grime buildup on the heating components, causing the furnace to use more energy and increasing the risk of a malfunction.

Stay safe:

• Never use an oven or a 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. Never kick or chip snow and ice away with a hard object.
• 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 at 866.322.8667.

Atmos Energy encourages customers needing solutions to keep up with their monthly natural gas expenses to contact Atmos Energy’s customer service team at 888.286.6700 or visit the account center.

For more ways to save energy and money, please visit www.atmosenergy.com/energytips.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation is the nation’s largest fully regulated, natural gas-only distributor of safe, clean, efficient and affordable energy. As part of our vision to be the safest provider of natural gas services, we are modernizing our business and our infrastructure while continuing to invest in safety, innovation, environmental sustainability and our communities. An S&P 500 company headquartered in Dallas, Atmos Energy serves more than 3 million distribution customers in over 1,400 communities across eight states and manages proprietary pipeline and storage assets, including one of the largest intrastate natural gas pipeline systems in Texas.

Find us online at http://www.atmosenergy.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.