Consumers Can Prepare for Winter Heating Season and Trim Bills.

Business Editors

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 22, 2001

Consumer Tips to Save Energy and Money

Now is the time for consumers to get ready for Old Man Winter and the 2001-2002 heating season.

Temperatures are dropping with the National Weather Service forecasting a colder and wetter than average winter. Atlanta Gas Light Company (AGLC) offers some helpful consumer tips to conserve fuel and reduce energy bills.

Susan McLaughlin, president and CEO of Atlanta Gas Light Company, said, "By dedicating some planning time and a few dollars to winterization projects and by using a practical approach to energy use, consumers can definitely reduce their monthly heating bills."

Tips for consumers to prepare for the winter heating season:

      --  Add weather-stripping and caulking to doors and windows. As
        much as 30 to 40 percent of a home's energy load is attributed
        to outside air penetrating the house.

          --  Add weather-stripping tapes that adhere directly to door
            or window frames for a tight seal.

          --  Fit foam or rubber weather-stripping into the gaps around
            your doors or windows.

          --  Install rubber or foam bottom seals under doors.

          --  Add a door sweep to seal the gap at the bottom of a door
            from drafts.

      --  Change disposable air filters in your furnace two or three
        times a year and have the furnace inspected by a professional
        at least once a year.

      --  Check for appropriate insulation in the walls, attic and
        floor. Be sure to insulate pipes. Choose the right R-value,
        which is a measure of insulating power. Higher R-values mean
        greater insulating power, which provides greater household
        energy savings and cost savings. Look for R-values on
        insulation packaging or talk to a contractor.

      --  Turn down the water heater's thermostat setting to about 120
        degrees.

          --  When washing clothes, use warm or cold water - not hot -
            and rinse with cold water.

          --  Install a low flow showerhead. Showers use less hot water
            than baths.

      --  Programmable thermostats can be big energy savers for homes.
        Different temperature settings can be programmed for day and
        night or different days of the week. For most people, setting
        the temperature in the winter to 65 degrees from 11 p.m. to 5
        a.m., then back to 72 degrees for the morning, can save up to
        15 percent on heating bills.

      --  Lower your thermostat at night or whenever the house is
        unoccupied for more than a few hours. Close off unoccupied
        rooms and close heating vents.

      --  Use the sunlight to warm rooms. Close drapes and blinds at
        night to retain heat.

      --  Wear more layers of clothing and warmer, insulated clothing
        while indoors.

      --  Put extra blankets or a down comforter on the bed.

      --  Learn more about your home's energy usage by completing an
        easy, free energy audit offered on Atlanta Gas Light Company's
        web site at www.AtlantaGasLight.com.

Additional resources for consumer information related to energy usage: National Association of Home Builders: www.nahbrc.org U.S. Department of Energy: www.eren.doe.gov Georgia Environmental Facility Authority: www.gefa.org Residential Energy Services Network: www.natresnet.org

About Atlanta Gas Light Company

Atlanta Gas Light Company is the largest natural gas distributor in the Southeast and provides delivery service to more than 1.5 million customers in Georgia. It also is the primary subsidiary of AGL Resources, a regional energy holding company with operations throughout the Southeast, including Chattanooga, Tennessee and the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. Although natural gas distribution is AGL Resources' core business, it also is engaged in other energy-related businesses, including retail energy marketing, telecommunications infrastructure and retail and wholesale propane sales. AGLC's home page address on the Internet is www.AtlantaGasLight.com.

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