BALTIMORE — BGE’s Smart Energy Savers Program® reminds eligible residential customers that now is the perfect time to make the switch to natural gas for home and water heating. Before the cold weather sets in and the holiday season gets underway, customers can begin making their homes more comfortable and energy efficient— and save big on connecting to natural gas.
For eligible customers, BGE’s Natural Gas Connection Program waives the fee— up to $2,000 based on their home’s proximity to BGE’s main gas line— to connect to natural gas, as long as a customer replaces their heat pump or electric water heater with a high-efficiency gas furnace or high-efficiency gas water heater. In addition, customers can save even more with rebates on high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment, as well as lower annual energy costs.
Equipment rebates are available as follows:
·$150 rebate for installing an Energy Star® certified gas water heater
·$300 rebate for installing a high-efficiency gas furnace
·$500–$1,000 rebate for installing a high-efficiency central air conditioning system
When it comes to energy costs, a high-efficiency gas water heater can save an average of $332 a year, while a high-efficiency gas furnace can save an average of $377 annually. Switching to a natural gas furnace and water heater, homeowners could save as much as 45 percent on energy costs annually compared to electric systems, depending on their home and existing equipment.
“More than 900 residential customers have already enrolled to make the switch,” says Chris Walls, BGE’s manager of residential energy efficiency programs. “Eligible customers shouldn’t wait until their heat pump or water heater fails, but should act now to save money and energy. Even if they are not ready to replace their heat pump, they can replace their electric water heater with a high-efficiency natural gas water heater now, and still get the Natural Gas Connection discount.”
Now is the time to connect and make the switch to natural gas. To learn more about the Natural Gas Connection Program and to see if your home is eligible, visit: BGESmartEnergy.com/Gas or call 877-685-7377 to talk to a natural gas expert.
The BGE Smart Energy Savers Program is a suite of programs that enable customers to control energy use, leading to more efficient use of electricity and lowering energy bills from where they otherwise would be.