Office of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel

Message from the Consumers' Counsel:

Summer calls for precautions against door-to-door utility marketing and high energy usage

Consumers should take precautions to ensure they protect their personal information and make an educated decision about their utility needs. Some utility services are being marketed through door-to-door sales solicitations.

Consumers need to be careful when dealing with any marketer solicitation. They should be sure not to share utility account information or sign any documents unless they are sure they want to enroll in any service. It is important for consumers to consider all their options before signing up. If customers do sign up, the local utility will then mail a letter confirming their choice to switch, the supplier chosen and the date the switch will become effective. Once customers receive that letter, they have seven business days from the postmarked date to cancel their agreement without penalty. To cancel the agreement you must contact your natural gas utility company.

The Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel (OCC) provides the following tips for residential consumers approached by any door-to-door salespeople for utility service:

• Do not rush or feel pressured to make a decision. Allow enough time to ask questions. Do not make any decisions unless written information has been provided on the proposed products and services.
• Carefully review all the terms and conditions for the service being offered. Ask about early termination fees.
• Do not sign any paperwork or forms unless enrolling for the services being offered.
• Do not share utility account numbers or any personal information unless a decision has been made to enroll for the services.
• Contact the OCC at 1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622) if you have any questions or if you have a complaint that has not been resolved.

With the potential for more door-to-door marketing, summertime also calls for energy efficiency methods to ensure consumers do not pay higher electric bills than necessary.

There are many ways consumers can keep their homes cool when it is hot outside.

One way to block heat from entering the home is through exterior and interior shading. Exterior shading includes planting trees and shrubs around the home, preferably on the south and southwest sides. Interior shading includes blinds, drapes and window treatments. Shading works most efficiently when it blocks the heat before it reaches the home.

Another way to block the heat is by adding insulation to the attic and walls of the home or by using low-e films, a thin plastic film that sticks on windows to block the heat while letting the light in. Finally, a no-cost option is to reduce the number of appliances and lights used during the warmest part of the day.

Fans are used to create breezes and move air from one area to another. Turn off fans to save energy when leaving the room. Using fans during mild weather and at night can save consumers up to 50 percent in cooling costs rather than running an air conditioner.

Ceiling fans are most effective in large rooms and produce higher air speeds with less noise than box or oscillating fans. When using a ceiling fan with air conditioning, consumers can set the thermostat higher than normal while maintaining a comfortable temperature.

Air conditioners are an easy way to cool a room or home and are best if used along with natural cooling. When using an air conditioner, do not set the thermostat lower than the desired temperature. The recommended temperature is 78 degrees. Raising the temperature 5 degrees for eight hours can save up to 10 percent on a household’s electric bill.

Consumers should have their central air conditioners checked before each cooling season and either clean or replace the filter monthly. When buying a new air conditioner, look for an Energy Star-rated unit and hire a qualified contractor to install it properly.

For additional energy-saving tips, visit the Smart Energy section of the OCC’s Web site.

Best regards,

Janine L. Migden-Ostrander