Customers encouraged to service air conditioners ahead of cooling season

Rebates offered for new HVAC purchases and tune-ups

With warmer temperatures back in the forecast, Vectren, a CenterPoint Energy Company, wants to remind customers to have a trained heating and air professional perform routine maintenance on their air conditioning systems to improve efficiency and comfort. Customers should maintain their cooling system to prevent future problems and unwanted costs.

“As temperatures push in to the upper 80s and the humidity returns this weekend, many customers will turn their air conditioners on for the first time,” said Lynnae Wilson, chief business officer, Indiana electric. “As we enter the cooling season, it’s important to maintain air conditioning systems properly to ensure optimal performance during the summer months.”

According to www.energystar.gov, routine maintenance check-ups should include the following actions to ensure your house or business stays cool:

• Check thermostat settings to ensure the cooling system is at a comfortable setting when at home and saves energy while away.
• Tighten all electrical connections and measure voltage and current on motors.
• Lubricate all moving parts to reduce friction in motors, which increases the amount of electricity used.
• Check controls of the system to ensure proper and safe operation.
• Regularly clean and/or replace the air conditioner filter to help the unit run at full efficiency and supply better air flow.
• Clear leaves and other debris away from the air conditioner’s condensing unit on the outside of the home and hose off any accumulated dirt.
• Check the air conditioner’s refrigerant level – too much or too little will make the system less efficient and reduce the life of the equipment.
• Clean and adjust blower components to reduce problems with air flow, which can also make the system run less efficiently.

Vectren offers several energy efficiency and rebate programs for residential and business customers, including cash rebates for residential customers of $200 to $500 for a high-efficiency central air conditioning unit, depending on the SEER level, and heat pumps. A $25 rebate is also available for AC tune-ups performed by a trained professional. Learn more about Vectren’s programs atwww.vectren.com/saveenergy or call 866-240-8476.

About CenterPoint Energy

Headquartered in Houston, Texas, CenterPoint Energy, Inc. is an energy delivery company with regulated utility businesses in eight states and a competitive energy businesses footprint in nearly 40 states. Through its electric transmission & distribution, power generation and natural gas distribution businesses, the company serves more than 7 million metered customers primarily in Arkansas, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas. CenterPoint Energy’s competitive energy businesses include natural gas marketing and energy-related services; energy efficiency, sustainability and infrastructure modernization solutions; and construction and repair services for pipeline systems, primarily natural gas. The company also owns 54.0 percent of the common units representing limited partner interests in Enable Midstream Partners, LP, a publicly traded master limited partnership that owns, operates and develops strategically located natural gas and crude oil infrastructure assets. With approximately 14,000 employees and nearly $29 billion in assets, CenterPoint Energy and its predecessor companies have been in business for more than 150 years. For more information, visit CenterPointEnergy.com.