Q. Who can participate in the LIPAedge Program?
A. Residential and small commercial customers with central air conditioning systems are eligible to participate in the LIPAedge Program. Customers that have room or through-the-wall air conditioners are not eligible for this program.

Q. Will my electric bill decrease if I participate in LIPAedge?
A. If you do not currently have a programmable thermostat, or the programmable thermostat you have is not Energy Star rated, the Carrier thermostat we provide you with will help you manage your energy use. We will help you program the thermostat so that you can maximize energy savings.

Q. What are the other advantages of a programmable thermostat?
A. A programmable thermostat can also significantly improve the comfort in your home/business. You will be able to keep your home/business cool when you are there without wasting energy when you are not there. You can also program it differently when you are sleeping or closing your business for the day.

Q. Why else should I participate in the LIPAedge Program?
A. As a LIPAedge participant, you will be helping Long Island use its electric energy supply efficiently, while protecting the environment and minimizing the need to build new generating facilities.

Q. What's in it for LIPA, or in other words, what's the catch?
A. As a partner with LIPA you will permit LIPA to adjust your thermostat for 4 hours in the afternoon (2 - 6 p.m.) for up to 7 days during the summer (June through September). LIPA will not shut off your central air conditioner, just lower its use. Also, we will not turn off your fan, so that cool air can continue to circulate through your home/business.

Q. Why is LIPA spending money on this program?
A. LIPA wants to meet Long Island's energy needs in the most environmentally friendly way possible. Programs such as LIPAedge allow us to meet increases in peak summer electric demand without having to build new generation or transmission facilities.

Q. Can this damage my central air conditioner?
A. Absolutely not. LIPA will adjust your central air conditioner through the thermostat. This is totally safe for your equipment.

Q. Is the Carrier programmable thermostat better than the one I am currently using?
A. The Carrier programmable thermostat that is being provided and installed for free in this program is a top of the line thermostat. If you have recently purchased a new programmable thermostat, our thermostat will be at least equal in quality and features. If you do not have a programmable thermostat, you cannot buy a better one than the one we are giving you in this program.

Q. Does this thermostat replace the one I already have?
A. Yes. However, you may keep your old thermostat.

Q. What are the specific features of the thermostat and what does it look like?
A. The LIPAedge Web site (www.lipaedge.com) contains photographs of the Carrier programmable thermostat.

Q. How do I change the temperature through the Internet?
A. You log into a special Web site that provides easy to follow instructions and screens. You can monitor your thermostat settings, change the set point, or change the programming.

Q. How do I program the thermostat in my home/business?
A. There are easy to follow instructions inside the retractable door of the thermostat. You can also refer to the manual that comes with the thermostat. The LIPA installer will also program the thermostat for you and show you how to use it. Finally, the LIPAedge Web site has instructions as well.

Q. Besides the thermostat, what other equipment is installed with the LIPAedge installation?
A. A thin rectangular shaped box with a short antenna will be mounted near your furnace or in the attic by the air handler. This is the communications box that enables you and LIPA to communicate with your central air conditioning system.

Q. How can I access the Internet to change my thermostat settings?
A. Click on the customer log-in button on the LIPAedge home page. From there you can log into the Customer Interface Web site to make changes to your thermostat.

Q. How do I make changes to my thermostat once I have logged into the Customer Interface Web site?
A. The LIPAedge home page has a link called "Thermostat control over the Internet". There are instructions on this link. The Customer Interface Web site also has easy to follow instructions for adjusting the set point of your thermostat as well as programming your thermostat.

Q. How often can I use the Internet control feature?
A. There are no limits at this time.

Q. When will LIPA adjust my thermostat?
A. LIPA will only adjust your thermostat between the hours of 2 and 6 in the afternoon. We will also limit the number of days in which we can adjust your thermostat to no more than 7. Finally, those 7 days will fall between June 1 and September 30.

Q. How does adjusting my thermostat help LIPA?
A. On very hot summer days, electric demand can become so high that LIPA's electric supply could be stretched to its limits. If a generation plant has a forced outage, this can make matters worse. Limited transmission capability from outside of Long Island, restricts the amount of power we can import. On a "Critical Day", LIPA institutes a number of measures to deal with high electric demand. Lowering the use of residential central air conditioning through the LIPAedge Program will be one of our strategies in dealing with "Critical Days".

Q. How does LIPA cycle the compressor on my central air conditioner?
A. We turn off the compressor through the thermostat. This is exactly the same way in which it would normally cycle to keep your home/business at the desired temperature.

Q. How will I know that my air conditioning usage has been adjusted?
A. The digital screen on the thermostat will state that we are in a "Curtailment". The thermostat screen will also count backwards from 4 hours so that you will know how much time is left before your thermostat returns to its pre-set temperature.

Q. How warm will my home/business get while LIPA is adjusting the usage of my air conditioning?
A. You may not even notice that your air conditioner has been adjusted. At most, the temperature in your home/business may increase 3 or so degrees. Once the 4-hour period ends at 6 p.m., your home/business will quickly return to its pre-set temperature.

Q. What if I have more than one central air conditioning system?
A. If you have more than one central air conditioner, you can get more than one Carrier thermostat. Each thermostat will be controllable from the Internet.

Q. Will the new thermostat be able to adjust my heating also?
A. Sometimes. If you currently have your central air conditioning controlled by a thermostat that also controls heating (known as a heat/cool thermostat), the new Carrier thermostat would also control both heating and cooling. However, most homes/businesses have more than one heating zone therefore the new thermostat will only control the zone that the current heat/cool thermostat controls. If you currently have a cool only thermostat, then the new thermostat will only control your cooling.

Q. Will the curtailment time show up on my monthly LIPA bill?
A. No it will not. However, you may log onto your thermostat to see if a curtailment is currently in effect.

Q. If I am unhappy with the program, can I have the equipment removed?
A. Yes. Just call us to schedule the removal of your LIPAedge equipment. Please note that you must supply another thermostat for us to install when we remove the LIPAedge thermostat.

Q. How long do I have to commit to be in the program?
A. We intend to keep the program in effect for many years. We will make every effort to keep you as a happy participant over that time. If you wish to leave the program, you may do so under the same conditions as described above.

Q. How many years will the program run?
A. We will assess the need for the program on a year-by-year basis. However, given LIPA's projected growth in electric demand coupled with the difficulty of building new generation on Long Island, we expect this program to be in place for many years. Since LIPAedge is environmentally friendly, it is an excellent way for LIPA to serve its customers and protect Long Island's environment.

Q. If the program ends, will I still be able to keep the thermostat?
A. Yes.

Q. What happens if my thermostat breaks?
A. You call the toll free number located on the label inside your thermostat. We will send out a service person to repair or replace it at no cost to you.

Q. What happens if my central air conditioner stops working?
A. If you are a LIPAedge participant, and you think it may be related to the thermostat, call us (1-866-LIPAedge) and we will try and diagnose the problem. If we think it has something to do with the thermostat, we will repair it at no cost to you. If it is not related to the thermostat, you will need to contact your HVAC Dealer for service.

Q. What if you are not sure if the thermostat is the cause of the problem?
A. We will send out a service person. However, if the problem is not related to the thermostat, we will that advise you contact your HVAC contractor to service your central air conditioning.

Q. What if I have more questions?
A. Call the LIPAedge infoline at 1-866-LIPAEDGE (1-866-547-2334) and a program specialist will be pleased to answer any additional questions you may have.

Q. What else can I do to save energy and money?
A. Plenty. LIPA has a variety of programs available through its Efficiency programs that can help you save energy and money. Click on the LIPA link on this page to learn more.