PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

PECO is helping customers find real energy savings this spring, providing easy, and important, tips and information to help save energy and money. In addition to useful information, PECO also will pick-up and recycle customers’ old working refrigerators, freezers and window air conditioning units and provide a rebate for doing so.

PECO recycles thousands of refrigerators and freezers each year, providing customers a $50 rebate for each. On Saturday, June 17, 2017, PECO will hold a special room AC unit drop-off event at the South Philadelphia Home Depot at 1651 Columbus Boulevard, where PECO will take working AC units, recycle them and pay customers $25. The Sports Radio 94WIP Street Team and local professional football personalities will be on hand to energize the crowd. Recycling older appliances is one of the many ways customers can save energy and money.

Here are some easy, low-cost steps customers can take to make a difference:

• Keep it sealed: Inspect the caulking or weather stripping around windows, doors and any openings for utility services. A drafty house lets cool air escape and is much more costly to keep cool—especially during warmer weather.
• Clear the air: Replacing your old central air conditioner with a new ENERGY STAR®-qualified model can reduce your cooling costs by as much as 30 percent. Change your filter regularly to ensure optimal performance.
• Upgrade your insulation: Insulating your home can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs, while increasing the comfort of your home in both hot and cold weather.
• Consider the benefits of yard work. Proper selection and placement of trees, shrubs, and vines adds curb appeal and also helps lower the heating and cooling needs of a home. PECO encourages customers to always put safety first. Dial 811 at least three days before digging to ensure the area is safe for planting.

Here are a few tips to help you stay cool when the summer heat is on!

• Turn it off: Turn off all unnecessary lighting and devices.
• Manage your thermostat: Keep thermostats at a constant, comfortable level when at home. Raise the thermostat setting for days of extreme heat to save even more. Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust your home's temperature settings when you're away or sleeping.
• Keep shades, blinds and curtains closed: About 40 percent of unwanted heat comes through windows. Simply closing blinds and curtains, which act as a layer of insulation, can reduce heat in your home.
• Use ceiling fans to circulate air: For those without air conditioning, use ceiling fans or portable fans with the windows partially open to circulate fresh air into your home. For those with air conditioning, fans can be used to evenly distribute cool air.
• Use appliances wisely: Run appliances that produce heat (like clothes dryers, ovens and dishwashers) at night when it is cooler.

Looking for even more ways to save energy and money? Beginning June 1, 2017, for just $25, you can have a PECO energy assessment performed at your home. We’ll send an energy advisor to your home, provide a personal energy assessment and offer energy-efficient upgrades on the spot. By identifying energy efficiency opportunities around your home, you could save up to 20 percent on your monthly energy bill. Learn more at peco.com/smartideas or call 1-888-5PECO-SAVE.

PECO, founded in 1881, is Pennsylvania’s largest electric and natural gas utility. Headquartered in Philadelphia, PECO delivers energy to more than 1.6 million electric customers and more than 516,000 natural gas customers in southeastern, Pennsylvania. The company’s 2,500 employees are dedicated to the safe and reliable delivery of electricity and natural gas as well as enhanced energy management conservation, environmental stewardship and community assistance. PECO was named 2017 Best Mid-size Employer in Philadelphia by Forbes Magazine. The company also has an estimated annual economic impact of $4.3 billion in Pennsylvania, supporting more than 8,700 local jobs and producing $732 million in labor income. PECO is a subsidiary of Exelon Corporation (NYSE: EXC), the nation's only Fortune 100 utility and leading competitive energy provider. For more information visit PECO.com, and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.

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