MOBILE, Oct. 29, 2010 – As temperatures cool down, Mobile Gas is reminding customers to inspect their home-heating appliances and perform any needed maintenance necessary to avoid health or safety hazards.

“Properly maintaining your home-heating equipment is the best way to ensure safe and efficient operation,” said Gary Nolen, manager of service for Mobile Gas. “Heating systems have been off for months, so customers should call a licensed contractor to have their heating equipment checked and maintained.”

Failure to perform annual maintenance on gas heating equipment may result in exposure to carbon monoxide, which can cause nausea, drowsiness, flu-like symptoms, and can be fatal. Proper maintenance ensures gas heating equipment operates safely and efficiently. Look for tips on gas furnace safety in your November gas bill, as well as tips for reducing the amount of energy needed to heat your home.

“Since home heating typically accounts for more than half of the monthly winter gas bill, the best way to keep bills lower -- and ensure appliances are operating safely -- is to get gas appliances serviced,” Nolen said.

Mobile Gas offers customers the following tips to ensure safe and efficient operation of their natural gas furnace:

• Have gas furnaces checked annually by a qualified contractor.
• Vacuum and clean regularly around the furnace, particularly around the burner compartment to prevent a build-up of dust and lint.
• Never store items in, on or around the appliance that can obstruct airflow.
• Most forced-air units have a filter that cleans the air before heating and circulating it throughout the home. The filter should be checked monthly for lint build-up during periods of furnace use and cleaned or replaced, if necessary.
• When installing a new or cleaned filter, be sure to re-install the front panel door of the furnace properly so it fits snugly. Never operate the furnace without the front-panel door properly in place because doing so may create the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Check the appearance of the flame. If the flame is yellow, large and unsteady, the furnace needs to be inspected immediately by a licensed heating contractor and the condition corrected to ensure safety.

For more information on furnace safety, visit www.mobile-gas.com.

Mobile Gas is a natural gas utility serving approximately 95,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Mobile and the surrounding areas of southwest Alabama. The utility is a unit of Sempra Energy’s Sempra Pipelines & Storage subsidiary. Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company.

Media Contact: Wes Phillips
Mobile Gas
(251) 450-4799
www.mobile-gas.com

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