Q: I take part in Duquesne Light's Customer Assistance Program. Because my income falls below a certain level, I am eligible for a reduced payment. I have been on this program for a while, have never fallen behind in a single payment, and yet, when I applied for a loan, I was denied because Duquesne Light shows up as a delinquency on my credit report. I was never told about this. Shouldn't they have to tell you? I've talked to other people in the CAP program and they didn't know this had a bad effect on your credit report. Is this allowed?

CARLA DUNCAN
Schenley Heights

A: I'm with you on this one, Carla. If taking part in an income assistance program is going to affect your credit report, that information should certainly be disclosed.

According to Duquesne Light's Joe Balaban, it is -- in the CAP acceptance letter.

"We note that Duquesne Light Co. reports to the three agencies the status of whether the CAP customer is paying or not. The agencies may or may not report the status, even though we have advised them of the good-paying customers, as well as those who are not."

This isn't the way all utility companies handle customer assistance programs. Equitable Gas Co.'s David Spigelmyer said Equitable does not report that a customer is on an assisted payment program.

People on assisted payment programs may want to check with utility companies to find out how each company handles this situation.

Q: I keep hearing about how I should prepare for the winter. Can you tell me the name of a company that will come to your house and tell you what you should be doing to save gas this winter?

MIKE GOSTOMSKI
McCandless

A: Conservation Consultants Inc. is a nonprofit organization on the South Side at 1-877-376-2783. It will send an energy auditor to your home and point out the areas, outside and inside, where your energy dollars are being wasted.

Although this company works with low-income utility customers for free, you'll have to pay a fee, Mike, but it could be money well spent. Conservation Consultants charges $125 for a visit.

This company doesn't do the work for you, but can refer companies that will. You might want to hire a company if you need insulation in your attic or basement, but most of the fixes are simple things. Here are some suggestions I picked up on an energy audit with Juanita Gee from Conservation Consultants.

If you live in an older home and haven't had your windows replaced, you can probably feel the drafts. You may not be able to afford new windows, but you can buy inexpensive plastic sheets designed to cover your windows that will do a good job of saving heating dollars.

Check your baseboards on the outer walls. Clear caulking will seal those spaces and prevent cold air from the basement from coming upstairs.

Here's a tip that took me by surprise. If you have a spot where spiders build webs, check for air coming in or flowing out of your home. That's what attracts spiders.

Nail plastic strips around doors that aren't tightly sealed. Seal off unused rooms by shutting the warm and the cold vents, closing the door and sticking a towel under the bottom.

That will direct the heat into rooms you use. Any home improvement store should be able to sell you the materials and give you tips on how to save money.