Frequently Asked Questions

I have been approved for assistance, when will my utility bill be paid?
Your utility bill will be paid within 30 days of your application’s approval. If you receive a bill in the mean time please do not panic! The Office of Community Services will make the payment. You can also call our office to find out the status of your application (614-457-2997).

How can I make an appointment?
For your convenience we have a 24 hour, 7 day a week Interactive Voice System to make an appointment for you. Simply phone 866-861-6399.

My PIPP balance has gotten really high, and I’m afraid that I’ll never be able to pay it off, what should I do?
Columbia Gas: Pay the PIPP amount on time and in full each month for 12 months, and your balance will be reduced by 33 percent. Pay the PIPP amount on time and in full each month for 24 months, and your remaining PIPP balance will be reduced by 50 percent. Pay the PIPP amount on time and in full each month for 36 months, and your entire PIPP balance will be eliminated.

If you are no longer a PIPP customer but still have a PIPP balance on your natural gas bill, you can participate in this program too.

The Result:
If after three years you continue to pay the PIPP amount on time and in full each month, your entire PIPP balance will be eliminated after each 12-month period.

For more information contact your natural gas company toll free at:
Columbia Gas of Ohio: 1-800-344-4077

American Electric Power: If you want to pay down your total balance while you’re paying your PIPP amount, you can pay more than your required payment, and the extra amount you are paying will go to reduce your total balance. When you decide you want to come off of PIPP, call AEP customer service and they can set you on a Graduate Plan. While on the Graduate Plan, Stage II, you will pay your regular bill plus whatever extra you can afford to go towards your total balance. The extra amount you pay towards your balance will be matched by AEP. While on the Graduate Plan, Stage III, you will pay your regular bill plus the minimum extra amount of $20, and AEP will match that extra amount. For example, if your bill is $40 and you pay $75, AEP will match the $35 extra dollars you paid so a total of $70 will go to your total account balance.

For more information contact your electric company toll free at:
American Electric Power: 1-800-277-2177

For answers to your utility questions, contact:
Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel
or your residential utility advocate
1-877-PICKOCC (1-877-742-5622) Toll-Free
www.pickocc.org

Is there anything I can do to help lower my bills and stay cool this summer?
From GreenHome – Washington, D.C- tip sheet we learn several things to do to stay cool…

Learn These Good habits: 

• On the side(s) of your house where the sun shines, keep the drapes, curtains, and blinds closed during the day to block the sun’s heat; open the windows at night to help cool the air (as long as you are not running the air conditioning).
  
  
• If you need to cool a room more than the rest of the house, use a fan-especially oscillating fans that turn to spread the cool air around the room.
  
  
• Spend time on lower floors of a building-where cooler air stays.
  
  
• Keep the lights off whenever possible and run your dishwasher, oven, stove and clothes dryer late in the evening when it is cooler.  They all create heat (especially incandescent and halogen lights).
  
  
• Try using a room dehumidifier to cool the room.  Removing humidity helps take warmth out of the air.

If you rent or own:

• Seal leaks between outdoor doors and their frames with weather-stripping.
  
  
• Fill leaks around windows frames and exterior walls with caulk.
  
  
• If you can, plant shady trees (that grow lots of leaves) around your house, so that they can cast shade on the house.
  
  
• If you are shopping for a window air conditioner, look for one with the energy star® label (shown to the right).
  
  
• If you can, install ceiling fans to cool rooms.
  
  
• If you rent, ask your landlord to install high efficiency equipment when replacing air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators, clothes washers and dryers.

If/When you own a home - things you can do in addition to the above

• Replace your old thermostat with a programmable thermostat (also called a “set back” thermostat); those with the Energy Start ® label are best.
  
  
• If you have a central air conditioner unit and have to replace it, buy a high efficiency model with a “SEER” rating of at least 12 (look for the Energy Star® label).

If you have central air conditioner:

• Set your thermostat as warm as possible while still comfortable.  Recommended levels are 72° Fahrenheit (22° Celsius) when the house is occupied, and 78 (25° Celsius) when you are away from home and are sleeping.
  
  
• Close the air vents in unused rooms and keep the air vents clear of draperies, furniture, and obstructions that block cool air.
  
  
• Keep the windows and doors closed when you are running the AC.
  
  
• Clean the furnace air filter every month.  Replace it at least once every three months.
  
  
• Place lamps, TVs, etc. away from the thermostat.  They can give off heat that ‘trick’ the thermostat.
  
  
• Clean the outside condenser coil on the air conditioner unit once a year to keep it free of debris.

For more information:
Power$mart: Easy Tips to Save and the Planet booklet can be ordered free by calling 1-888-878-3256 Energy Star:  Call for free at 1-888-STAR YES or check the Internet at:  www.energystar.gov.  Energy Guide www.energyguide.com.   Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network (EREN):  www.eren.doe.gov