RICHMOND, Va., July 10, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- With months of summer heat and humidity still ahead, Dominion Virginia Power is encouraging its customers to use energy wisely. Dominion is offering tips to ensure that customers remain safe and as comfortable as possible and save money.

During times of extremely hot weather, residential electricity usage can soar, leading to higher bills. Home energy conservation reduces residential bills and helps to ensure there is enough electricity to meet all customers' needs. (Note to editors: tips and videos on conserving energy are available online at: www.dom.com/about/conservation/index.jsp.)

Dominion offers these tips to help lower electric bills and energy usage while keeping homes comfortable:

• Postpone activities that require hot water – such as washing dishes or clothes – to early morning or late evening.  This will avoid adding more heat and humidity to the home.
• Avoid using the stove if possible and consider grilling outside instead. Plan carefully to minimize the number of trips in and out of the home, which allow heat to enter.
• Raise the temperature setting on the thermostat.  For every degree raised, customers can save as much as 3 percent on cooling costs.
• Turn off unnecessary lights.  They add to the heat in the home.  Consider switching to cooler, energy-efficient CFL bulbs or LED bulbs.
• Use ceiling fans and portable floor fans to move the air around in the home.  If the home does not have air conditioning, fans are essential for cooling. In homes with air conditioning, fans allow residents to raise the thermostat and save energy without affecting comfort.
• Close drapes during the hottest times of the day to block heat from entering the home.
• Make sure window air conditioners are sized correctly.  Ones that are too small will run constantly but not cool the room.  Ones that are too large use more energy than necessary.
• Clean filters in window air conditioning units and clean or replace filters in central air conditioning systems.  Clogged filters cause air conditioners to use more energy than necessary to keep a home cool.

Dominion Virginia Power is a part of Dominion (NYSE: D), one of the nation's largest producers and transporters of energy, with a portfolio of approximately 27,000 megawatts of generation; 11,000 miles of natural gas transmission, gathering and storage pipelines; and 3.8 million electric and natural gas distribution customers . Dominion also operates the one of the nation's largest natural gas storage systems and the Cove Point liquefied natural gas facility, and serves retail energy customers in 15 states. For more information about Dominion, visit the company's website at www.dom.com.

It's easy, secure and convenient to enroll in Dominion's eBill paperless billing program at: https://www.dom.com/find-it-fast/payment-options/paperless-billing.jsp

SOURCE Dominion Virginia Power