Con Edison Reminds Customers to Stay Safe During Frigid Temps

Con Edison crews have been hard at work keeping energy flowing to customers in New York City and Westchester in the wake of yesterday’s storm. The company also is urging customers to be mindful of downed power lines and gas safety as temperatures plunge this weekend.

Crews will continue responding to service issues as temperatures plummet to near- or below-zero wind chills.

Downed power lines may not always be visible, so it’s important to always be aware of your surroundings and exercise caution when removing snow.

If you smell gas, treat it as an emergency. Do not turn a light switch on or off, turn on a flashlight, or even touch your phone inside the house. Go outside immediately and call 911 or 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633).

Con Edison strongly advises customers to be sure to clear snow and ice away from outdoor gas meters or appliance vents to avoid damage to equipment or blockages that could create carbon monoxide conditions in their homes.

The high winds and frigid conditions also have the potential to affect both overhead and underground electrical delivery service. High winds could knock down power lines. Then a mixture of road salt and melting snow can infiltrate manholes, possibly causing outages. Crews will give priority to restoring service lines that will provide power to the most customers quickly and then restore smaller groups and individual customers who are without power. Over 7,400 customers have been restored since the storm began.

Customers can report downed power lines, outages and check service restoration status at www.conEd.com or by calling 1-800-75-CONED (1-800-752-6633). When reporting an outage, customers should have their Con Edison account number available, if possible, and report whether their neighbors also have lost power.

Customers who report outages will be called by Con Edison with their estimated restoration times as they become available.

Con Edison offers a number of mobile solutions so you can manage your accounts, report and check the status of an outage, learn energy-saving tips, and more. Text REG to OUTAGE (688243) to sign up for text notifications, and follow the prompts. You will need to enter your Con Edison account number to complete the registration process. Once you've registered, you will not need your account number to report or check the status of a power problem. Or visit us here to stay on top of outages and power problems by signing up for text notifications.

To help get through this weekend’s mind-numbing cold and stay safe, Con Edison suggests these steps:

• Use a programmable thermostat, and/or turn your thermostat down when you are not at home. Set the thermostat while you are home to a reasonable temperature that meets your comfort and health needs.
• Make sure your thermostat is not affected by drafts that could skew the readings. Use a smart thermostat to automatically change the heating pattern to fit your schedule.
• Install an approved home carbon monoxide detector on every floor of your home.
• Be sure to keep chimneys or flues clear of debris.
• Never use a gas oven or range, or charcoal grill to heat a room. This causes a carbon monoxide danger that could prove fatal.
• Take a moment to turn off any devices or appliances you are not using.
• Stop cold air infiltration from electric switch and plug outlets by using draft blockers.
• Open curtains and/or shades of east, south and west-facing windows on sunny winter days to let the sun help you heat your home. Close them at night. Keep draperies closed all day on north-facing windows.
• Close hot air vents or radiators in unused rooms. Then, close the doors to those rooms securely, using draft guards at the door bottoms if necessary. CAUTION: If you have a radiator-hot water system, be sure the unused room does not get so cold as the temperature falls below freezing.
• Check all places where heat enters the room. Make sure the draperies and furniture do not block the flow of heat.
• Use a room or furnace humidifier or keep shallow pans of water on radiator tops or near hot air vents to add humidity to your home.
• Check the filters on your forced-air furnace every month during the heating season. Replace as necessary.
• Report downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.
• Make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios or televisions are working. Have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on electrical service can be heard on local radio and television stations.
• For more storm tips and preparation, go to Con Edison storm safety.

Customers can follow Con Edison on Twitter or like us on Facebook for general outage updates, safety tips and storm preparation information.

In addition, the company is in close contact with the New York City Office of Emergency Management and the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services to coordinate storm response if needed.