YOUNGSTOWN -  A major natural gas supplier recommends that homeowners turn down their thermostats to save energy and reduce bills during the current blast of cold temperatures.

During the cold weather that returned to Northeast Ohio this week, Dominion Energy Ohio has asked its customers to voluntarily turn down their thermostats and lower their water heaters' setting if they can do so safely.

Dominion also wants businesses to reduce the use of natural gas for manufacturing or processing if possible. 

According to Dominion, such conservation efforts will help keep down bills and keep natural gas supplies flowing throughout the coming week.

Dominion says there may be isolated areas where the company may experience lower operating pressures and says the company is prepared to address such situations if they arise.

Dominion says its customers can save from 10 to 15 percent on annual heating costs by setting the thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and down to 58 degrees at night or when no one is home for an extended period.

A programmable thermostat will automatically raise and lower the settings to a preset schedule and manually eliminate operating the heating system.

 It is not recommended to turn the system off, especially on very cold days, because the recovery time may negate any savings realized by the setback.

Other recommended conservation techniques include saving energy by weather-stripping homes and insulating doors and windows. Customers also can block off draft at the bottoms of doors with a rolled-up throw rug or towel.

Follow this link to learn about additional savings tips: https://www.dominionenergy.com/our-stories/energy-saving-tips-for-every-season