Need Help With Your Gulf Power Bill?

January 21, 2010

After record cold in January, many North Escambia Residents are facing higher electric bills, and for many household that may cause difficulties. Gulf Power participates in several program to help customers save money on their energy bills, make their homes more energy efficient or help them get direct assistance.

Some of those programs include:

  • Gulf Power participates with the Salvation Army in Project Share, a program that provides emergency assistance to those who need help with energy bills. Project Share and other non-profit programs assist the elderly, the disabled, the sick, and others experiencing financial hardship. Eligible customers can apply for Project SHARE assistance at The Salvation Army office in their county. Eligibility requirements for Project SHARE recipients are set by The Salvation Army. Gulf Power customers can donate to the program by indicating so on their power bill.
  • Gulf Power offers a bill payment option called Budget Billing. Budget Billing can “levelize” monthly payments so customers can know approximately how much their bill will be each month and avoid high cost fluctuations caused by increased energy purchases during very cold or hot periods. To find out more about payment assistance, call our Customer Care Center at 1-800-225-5797 anytime, day or night.
  • Gulf Power also has many  programs to help customers save money by making their homes and businesses more energy efficient.
  • The WAP (Weatherization Assistance Program) and LIHEAP (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program) are federal, statewide programs that help pay energy bills for low-income households. To find out more about qualifications, contact your county’s local WAP and/or LIHEAP agency, which can be found on the Department of Community Affairs Web site at http://www.floridacommunitydevelopment.org/liheap/index.cfm or by calling the state’s information line at 2-1-1.

Gulf Power offers the following cold weather energy tips to save money on future bills:
Temperature settings

Heating a house makes up about half of your electricity bill so set your thermostat to 68 degrees or lower in the winter. Did you know that you can decrease the amount of energy you buy for heating by three percent or more for every degree below 68 degrees you set your thermostat?

Programmable thermostats are a good investment, or you can take advantage of Gulf Power’s Energy Select. It’s a program that allows customers to pay different rates for electricity during the day according to a set schedule. For only $4.95 per month you can save energy 87 percent of the time with Energy Select. The program comes with a free programmable thermostat so the homeowner controls the heating and cooling system, water heating and even pool pump to take advantage of the low price periods. It also comes with free surge protection and a system called outage alert. Outage alert will automatically notify Gulf Power of a power outage at the home.

Heating and cooling equipment

The home’s heating system is extremely important. If it’s an older, less efficient unit, upgrading to a geothermal heating and cooling system or a high efficiency air-source heat pump may be a wise choice. Contact Gulf Power at 1-877-655-4001 for a free Energy Check-Up. Let the Energy Experts show you how to save money today.

Routine maintenance

A well-maintained heating system runs more efficiently. A complete tune-up of the home heating system can cost anywhere from $50 to $100 and more, but this is a very worthwhile investment and can reduce your heating bill from 3 to 10 percent. Some companies offer regular service contracts, which are a convenience if you tend to forget system maintenance. Remember to replace the filter every month.

Ductwork

Duct leakage can account for 20 percent of the heating and cooling cost. Getting ducts sealed up should be at the top of the list for making your home energy efficient.

Insulation

Adding insulation to your attic is one of the most cost-effective energy saving measures. Different types of insulation material have different R-values. The recommended level is R-38 in the attic.

Weather-stripping and caulking

Weather-strip door jambs and caulk any cracks around windows to prevent cool air from entering your home.

Window units

If you have a window air conditioning unit, remove it for the winter months to prevent heat from escaping through and around the unit. If it can’t be moved, put a cover over it to prevent drafts.

Humidifier

Use a humidifier to keep your home more comfortable. Adding moisture allows you to reduce the thermostat setting without feeling colder.

Other tips are available on the Energy Tips section at www.gulfpower.com, along with an extensive set of Frequently Asked Questions on energy use in the home.

Customers can get a free Energy Check-Up online or at your home with an appointment. Gulf Power energy experts will analyze your house and electricity use, and look for ways to make the house more energy efficient. Just go to www.gulfpower.com or call 1-877-655-4001.

Comments

8 Responses to “Need Help With Your Gulf Power Bill?”

  1. North Escambia Resident on January 27th, 2010 10:02 am

    I know every time I’ve tried, they’ve told me that “no funds are available, call back on such and such”. When I call back on that day, they tell me the same thing again. Well, when ARE funds available? Because as far as I can tell, they never are.

  2. sandy on January 22nd, 2010 5:13 pm

    being with out gas to heat with it hard with this cold weather but we hate
    to ask for help with the high light bill is so high you cant have both we chose
    light what are people suppose to do

  3. Assistance programs are a joke on January 22nd, 2010 2:34 pm

    Casandra on January 21st, 2010 11:02 pm “There is help available if you are persistent, but remember this is a gift not a right!”

    That is not a true statement believe me. If anyone has ever been persistent it is me. I never give up on something without a good fight, especially when its just as much my tax dollars that fund these programs than it is other people. The bottom line when it comes to these type programs is this which I ended up telling the last lady I talked to after going on for months battling it. If you work and you try to support your family but need help your screwed. If you lay up and be useless, then you get all the help you need.

  4. Casandra on January 21st, 2010 11:02 pm

    http://www.fcfh.info is a great resource to start with. Also, Community Action comes to Century once a month on the 2nd Thursday. Bring with you proof of income, ID, and SS cards for all family members. There is help available if you are persistent, but remember this is a gift not a right!

  5. UA Grad on January 21st, 2010 5:29 pm

    BUDGET BILLING RIPOFF>>BEWARE..we were on budget billing for 1 year and a half. When we moved in with my parents (while our house was being built)..we suspended our power account until the house was complete. Well, Alabama power sent us a 500.00 bill stating the bill is for usage that was not billed while we were on budget billing. BOTTOM LINE: If you are on budget billing, never close the account for good, or they will backcharge you the difference of all the power that youve used, of which they never billed you for, because you were on budget billing…what’s the use of budget billing if they are going to bill you for the usage in the end anyway.

  6. T on January 21st, 2010 3:52 pm

    I know of a family that called for 4 hours on Tuesday to “Community Action” A BIG JOKE!! and as far as the “Salvation Army” program as well, the people working for these programs choose who they want to receive assistance!!
    This family (with 3 kids) will have no electric as of Friday, and still no help available and Gulf Power refused to allow for payment arrangements…Thanks Susan Storey.

  7. sunny sunshine on January 21st, 2010 11:54 am

    What about E REC OF JAY? Do they have help programs and if so where do you start?

  8. Assistance programs are a joke on January 21st, 2010 11:34 am

    I can see from expierience most of these assistance programs are a joke. They say they can help and then when you try they can’t, or you get the run around. I have tried the LIHEAP for one and I got told by this lady that I most definetly qualified and that money would become available in October to call back then. Well I waited for 4 months till October then called back and guess what, she no longer worked there and they said that they couldnt help in any way.
    Then you have the great mysafefloridahome campaign that our wonderful Governor created. What a joke, I called them and got a home inspector to come out and inspect my home for hurrican resistance, in turn with that report you can qualify for grants to replace windows, doors, and add rafter supports to make your home withstand more wind. We qualified for the 100 % grant but they required me pay up front to have the work done then they would reimburse me after a few months. Seriously if I had the money to invest I wouldnt be seeking help. I fought that battle for a very long time, even contacted the Governor himself or his secretary I should say and she told me to contact local programs that help low income families. Well I did that and you would think that being a state program they would love to help because its guranteed that they would get their money back, but nope, sorry sir we don’t do that. It is all a big joke, its got nothing to do with your income I can tell you that. All about who you know and other things. So if you try to get assistance, good luck!

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News