FLOWOOD, Miss. (WJTV) – Arctic air is expected to move into Mississippi next week, and Mississippians are being encouraged to prepare their homes for the winter weather.

Entergy Mississippi said staying warm and comfortable doesn’t have to come at the cost of high energy bills. By making a few simple changes around the home, customers can improve its energy efficiency and keep costs down throughout the colder months.

Prepare for cold weather 

Keep heating costs low all season long by taking these tips to improve your home’s energy efficiency: 

• Use solar energy: Open curtains on the south-facing windows during the day to allow sunlight to naturally heat the home and close them at night to reduce the chill from cold windows.
• Insulate drafty windows: Use a heavy-duty, clear plastic sheet on a frame or tape clear plastic film to the inside of window frames and make sure the plastic is sealed tightly to the frame to help reduce infiltration. 
• Adjust the thermostat: When you are home and awake, set the thermostat as low as is comfortable, but when you are asleep or out of the house, turn the thermostat back to save as much as 10% a year on your heating and cooling bills.  
• Find and seal leaks: Seal air leaks around utility cut-throughs for pipes and recessed lights in insulated ceilings, and unfinished spaces behind cupboards and closets.  
• Maintain heating systems: Schedule routine service for home heating systems and replace furnace and heat pump filters once a month or as needed.  
• Reduce heat loss from the fireplace: Keep the fireplace damper closed unless a fire is burning and check the seal on the fireplace flue damper and make it as snug as possible. 

Entergy Mississippi also offers free comprehensive residential energy audits and rebates to help reduce the upfront cost of installing energy-efficient equipment.

According to Atmos Energy, cold weather may impact the amount of natural gas you use. Here are some tips to help you stay safe and conserve energy this winter:

• Never use an oven or a gas stovetop to heat your home.
• Protect natural gas meters. Natural gas meters are weather-proof; however, to help keep the meter working smoothly, remove snow and ice from natural gas meters with a broom or brush. Never kick or chip snow and ice away with a hard object. Call Atmos Energy’s Emergency Number, 866-322-8667, if you have concerns about your meter.
• Make sure external vents for dryers and other natural gas equipment are clear. Blocked vents can lead to a dangerous buildup of carbon monoxide gas. If you have questions about proper venting, contact a licensed plumber or qualified contractor.
• Minimize the risk of frozen pipes. Leave faucets running at a trickle, leave cabinet doors open, and close all doors and windows to keep heat inside.
• Save money and energy by setting your thermostat to 68 degrees during the day and 58 degrees when you are away from home (where safe to do so). 

Although natural gas outages are infrequent, if you experience loss of natural gas service or low gas pressure, contact the Atmos Energy emergency line at 866-322-8667.

CenterPoint Energy is also preparing for the possibility of winter weather. The pre-winter safety and readiness actions taken by CenterPoint include:

• Inspecting and testing critical equipment, including all 270 substations, to prepare for high demand and cold temperatures;
• Hardening electric and natural gas infrastructure across the Greater Houston area, including installing heaters and devices to prevent ice damage or buildup;
• Maintaining freeze protection equipment and enclosures for cold-weather critical components;
• Repairing damaged or degraded thermal insulation and water-proofing materials; and
• Conducting emergency training for hundreds of operational personnel and contractors to prepare for, mitigate and respond to the impacts of severe winter weather.

In Mississippi, the company is positioning Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks to be deployed to supplement the natural gas system, if needed. Technicians will also be on standby.