Spring 2013 - PSNC Energy

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spring 2013
C o m f or t s o f
From PSNC Energy
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C o m f or t s o f
From PSNC Energy
New Showrooms
are open
Energy-Saving Tips
Cherry-Wood-Smoked Pork Porterhouse
We’re on Facebook
T
he humidity will soon be here to stay, but right now
our weather is pretty close to perfect. And these long
evenings have a way of making outdoor dining feel like a
real luxury ­— whether you’re on your own deck or down
the street at your favorite restaurant.
Relaxing with family and friends over a meal is its
own reward, but some among us get as much pleasure
from planning and preparing the menu. In this issue of
Comforts of Home, we feature a chef who loves the heat
of the kitchen, particularly when it comes to using
natural gas in his professional setting as well as his
home. The recipe for one of his signature dishes might
be just enough incentive for you to try out your own
grilling talents.
This time of year also brings with it a greater chance
for storms with high winds, and many folks are
interested in having a natural gas-fired generator on
hand for emergencies. Of course, the convenience
of natural gas comes into play with just about any
household appliance. We can show you the advantages
of using a natural gas grill or tankless water heater at
The Natural Gas Store in either Raleigh or Kannapolis.
You can find out more about the equipment we sell plus
get an update on our future store locations in this issue.
PSNC Energy unveils
The Natural Gas Store
The next time you’re surfing the Web, stop by Facebook.com/
psncenergy and "Like" us!
We share money-saving energy tips and delicious recipes, as well
as information about the benefits of using natural gas products
and services in your home.
L
ast fall, PSNC Energy revealed The Natural Gas Store
in Kannapolis serving as the new model for PSNC Energy’s
Rebates and Tax Credits
Lower the Cost of Natural
Gas Appliances
product showrooms. And on April 27, it was Raleigh’s turn
to hold a grand opening for their new store.
Like the Kannapolis store, The Natural Gas Store in Raleigh
sells products ranging from gas grills to logs to water
heaters, and it is designed to help people visualize the
If you’re looking to replace or upgrade a natural gas appliance
(specifically a water heater or furnace), you may be able to take
advantage of one or more of the following rebates or tax credits
saving you hundreds of dollars!
appliances in their own homes.
PSNC Energy’s Raleigh Region Sales Manager, Richard
Milam, is very pleased with the outcome of the renovations
and what they mean for the customer buying experience.
1
Rheem is offering a $150 rebate on new Rheem natural gas
tankless water heaters purchased through August 15, 2013.
Give us a call at 1-866-877-1999 to find out more about
this rebate, or visit psncenergy.com/tankless.
“This place has transformed from just an office warehouse
space into a really beautiful showroom. The intent is for
The Natural Gas Store ­­– Kannapolis
6001 Gateway Center Drive
704-783-3932
customers to have a positive buying experience that they
just won’t find at the big box stores.”
Plans are underway to open additional stores in Asheville
Finally, if you’re going to be digging in the yard,
remember to dial 811 to have your underground utilities
located first. That one phone call can make a difference
in keeping you and your family safe.
2
Have a great summer.
3
If you are replacing an existing natural gas water heater
or furnace, you may be eligible for PSNC Energy’s
conservation rebate. To qualify, the new unit must meet
energy-efficiency requirements. For more details, visit
psncenergy.com/rebate.
President and Chief Operating Officer
PSNC Energy
So next time you’re in Raleigh or Kannapolis, stop by The
Natural Gas Store and check out all the gas grills, water
heaters, logs and more!
Federal tax credits are available for certain natural
gas appliance purchases made in 2012 and 2013.
Below is a brief summary; but for more details visit
energystar.gov/taxcredits or consult your tax advisor.
• Up to $300 for qualified natural gas water heaters
• Up to $150 for a natural gas furnace and boilers
Rusty Harris
and Hendersonville by the end of the year.
All of these rebates and tax credits can help you enjoy the
comfort and convenience of natural gas in your home.
The Natural Gas Store – Raleigh
3516 Spring Forest Rd
Scan to tour our
showroom online
919-501-7660
At home
in
the
Kitchen
Cooking with Pete Susca
A
s an adolescent, Pete Susca found himself spending a
lot of time in the kitchen with his grandmother.
“She was a great cook, and I have fond memories of us
standing at her gas stove as she told me what to do,” said
In both his professional and personal life, Susca is a fan of
Susca cites the responsive quality of natural gas as a benefit
set the heat a little lower and it will stay consistent,” said
that any beginner in the kitchen can master. And he’s quick
Susca. “Plus, with gas, you have the ability to cut the heat
to point out one important factor to remember before
immediately, which helps if you’re new to cooking on a
turning up the heat on a gas stove.
gas stove.”
“Recipes are designed with electric ranges in mind, and the
So whether he’s preparing his family’s dinner or prepping
electric heat fluctuates, so with gas burners you can
for the production of many different entrées for one night’s
cooking with gas.
“I’ve always worked with it,” said Susca. “As a chef,
I have to have it because of its consistent heating
factor and temperature control.”
Susca. “She showed me how to make certain dishes and
dinner service, Susca enjoys the benefits of having natural
gas in both his kitchen settings.
shared the secrets to her recipes that no one else in my
family knows even today.”
And as a homeowner, Susca is equally insistent.
A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, 32-year old
“If I own a place, I’ve got to have gas,” emphasized Susca.
Susca has spent more than half his life working with food.
“Our home already had natural gas heat and water heat
His professional résumé includes previous stints at Noble’s
when we bought it, and I immediately replaced the electric
Grille in Winston-Salem, Nana’s Chophouse in Raleigh and
stove with a gas one.”
Bistro 64 in Cary.
Even though he cooks all day, every day for restaurant
Currently, he’s executive chef at West Park Tavern, a thriving
patrons, Susca still enjoys preparing meals for his family.
new gastropub located in western Cary. There he depends
on a natural-gas-fired cooktop and grill to prepare the
“It never gets old to me,” said Susca, “I’m as happy in my
kitchen at home making dinner for my wife and son as restaurant’s signature dishes.
Pete Susca Pork Porterhouse
prepares in his kitchen.
4 Pork Porterho
uses (or chop
s)
2 cups of cher
ry-wood chip
s
soaked in wat
½ tsp coarse gr
er for 30 min
ound black p
utes
epper
1 tsp kosher sa
lt
Aluminum fo
il
I am creating new entrées for West Park Tavern.”
C her r y -Wo
o d - Smoke
d
Por k Porte
rhouse
Since June of 2012, West Park Tavern has
quickly become a popular dining option for many residents of western Wake County.
Located in Cary's West Park Place shopping center
on Highway 55, the restaurant is a cozy neighborhood
pub but with a menu that offers more than the standard
fare. North Carolina wahoo tostados, baked four-cheese
mac, eggplant parmesan and a cherry-wood-smoked
pork porterhouse grilled to perfection are among
the entrées.
Strain the w
ater off the ch
erry-wood ch
Remove the
ips and pla
ce them in an
grates on yo
ur natural gas
aluminum fo
10 minutes, th
il boat.
grill and turn
en lower the
it
o
h
n
ea
h
t
igh to warm
on the grill to
Place the al
it up for
medium.
uminum foil
boat with wo
heating elem
o
d
ents.
chips directly
on top of you
Replace the
r natural gas
grates and cl
ose the top o
be smoking.
f the grill. Aft
er about 15 m
inutes your g
Lower the te
rill will
mp to mediu
m-low and p
pepper, direct
la
ce your pork
ly onto the g
porterhouse
rill.
s, rubbed wit
Close the lid
h salt and
and cook for
25 minutes, th
for 10 minute
en
s.
remove the p
ork from the
Turn your g
grill and let it
rill back up to
rest
medium grilli
145 degrees
ng temperat
at the bone.
ure and cook
the pork unti
Remove fro
l it reaches
m the grill an
d let it rest 5
into the mea
minutes befo
t.
re cutting so
the juices red
istribute
Summer Storms Ahead
Severe thunderstorms are a regular part of summers in North Carolina
and can present many dangers including lightning strikes, heavy rain, strong winds,
flooding and even tornadoes. To help keep everyone in your family safe before,
during and after the storm, follow these simple guidelines.
Natural gas generators
keep the power on
Natural gas generators are designed to
turn on automatically during a power
outage and turn off automatically as
soon as power is restored. This automatic
function ensures important things like
refrigerators and freezers will stay on even
if you are out of town when the storm hits.
And unlike gasoline or diesel-powered
generators, they are hooked directly to
your home’s natural gas supply, so you’ll
never have to worry about them running
out of gas.
When shopping for a natural gas generator,
make sure you get one that is properly
sized to run all of the appliances you will
need during an outage and anticipate
additional needs for outages lasting more
than a few hours.
A natural gas generator can give you and
your family peace of mind knowing that,
even during a severe storm, your power
will stay on.
Before the storm
• Keep important phone numbers close to the phone and programmed
into your cell phone.
• Have a battery-powered flashlight and radio with spare batteries.
• Secure loose items like garden furniture and toys that could blow
around in strong winds.
• Have a professional remove dead or damaged trees and limbs that
could fall.
• Charge cell phones, tablets and laptops so they will work if the power
goes out.
• If a member of your family is dependent on medical equipment that
requires electricity, make arrangements in advance for an alternative
power source such as a generator (see sidebar).
During the storm
• Stay indoors and away from windows.
• Unplug sensitive electric devices like computers and TVs.
Weekend Project That Saves
Did you know, according to ENERGY STAR, if you add up all the hidden air leaks in your home,
they could equal a hole the size of an open window?
These leaks can make a room feel drafty and can cause your energy bills to be higher. So tackle the simple
project of adding weather stripping this weekend in three easy steps.
1
Choose the right type of weather stripping for
the job. Ask yourself questions like: Am I applying it
to a door or a window? Does the weather stripping need
to withstand friction, weather, temperature changes
or other wear-and-tear associated with its location?
Regardless of what type you pick, it should seal well
when the door or window is closed, but not interfere
with its normal operation.
2
Determine how much you’ll need. Add up the
perimeter of all the windows or doors you’ll be fixing.
Make sure to add an additional five to 10 percent to
accommodate waste.
3
Install the weather stripping according to the
directions on the package.
• Clean and dry all surfaces before applying.
• Measure the area twice before making a cut.
• Make sure it’s the right thickness. The material should
compress when the door or window is shut.
• Apply one continuous strip on each side.
• Make sure it meets tightly at the corners.
Start to finish, this weekend weatherization project should
only take a few hours, and the energy you save will be well
worth the effort!
• Listen to your radio for weather updates.
• Don’t use a landline telephone during an electrical storm.
• Avoid taking a shower or bath as lightning can travel through
metal plumbing.
• If flood waters are threatening your home, turn off the power to your
house at the main circuit breaker or fuse box.
After the storm
• Watch out for fallen power lines and always assume a downed power
line is active.
• If you need to use a gasoline generator for electricity, never run it
inside the house or in the garage.
• Follow all public advisories if damage to your area is extensive.
Know what’s below Did you know that every eight minutes an underground
utility line is damaged because someone decided to dig without first calling 811?
Striking a single line can cause injury, repair costs, fines and inconvenient
outages, but you can avoid all these problems ­­— free of charge. Before you start
any digging project, dial 811 to have your underground lines marked and located
first. Installing a mailbox, building a deck and planting a tree or garden are all
examples of digging projects that should always begin with a call to 811.
Put the safety of your family, your neighbors and your community first.
Call before you dig.
Save more energy with an
In-home Energy Audit
When you request an In-home Energy Audit, a PSNC Energy audit technician will come
to your home to perform a detailed evaluation of your home’s energy efficiency, including
a blower door test, when practical.
Upon completing the assessment, your audit tech will provide information and
recommendations on your home’s overall energy usage. The service costs $25 and is
available to current PSNC Energy residential customers with natural gas heat or natural
gas water heating whose homes were built prior to April 15, 1993.
Should the audit tech find areas that need to be improved
(like your weather stripping), you can choose to have certain
improvements made on the spot. You may also apply the
$25 service fee as a credit toward the purchase of certain
recommended materials and equipment from the
PSNC Energy Audit tech.
For more information about scheduling an In-home Energy
Audit, call 1-877-592-7762 or visit psncenergy.com/audit.
What is a blower door test?
A blower door is a great way to test for air leaks in your home.
A powerful fan mounted into the frame of an exterior door
pulls air out of your house, lowering the air pressure inside. The
higher outside air pressure then flows in through all unsealed
cracks and openings in your home.
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
PAID
COLUMBIA, SC
PERMIT #71
spring 2013
Home
Home
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Natural Gas. Making Everyday Life Better SM
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Energy-Sk Porterhouse
Cherry-Wo
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SEND STORY IDEAS AND COMMENTS TO: Comforts of Home, Mail Code B234, SCANA Corporation, 220 Operation Way,
Cayce, S.C. 29033-3701; email [email protected] ; visit our website at psncenergy.com ; or call 1-877-776-2427.
©2013 All rights reserved. Comforts of Home is published by PSNC Energy, a SCANA Company.
PSNC Energy appliance sales, installation, maintenance and repair are not part of the regulated services offered by PSNC Energy and
are not in any way sanctioned by the North Carolina Utilities Commission. There is no advantage to customers of PSNC Energy
if they buy these products or services from PSNC Energy. A customer does not have to buy such products or services in order to continue
to receive the same safe and reliable natural gas service from PSNC Energy.