Simple Tips To Reduce Energy Use At Home

Want to stay cool and reduce your energy use at the same time? Check out these helpful tips from San Diego Gas & Electric.  

1.  Pre-cool your home. Take advantage of lower-priced energy by using your A/C to cool your home before 4 p.m. During on-peak hours of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., adjust your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher, health permitting.
2. Cool down with a fan. Turn off fans when you leave a room as fans cool people, not rooms. During warmer months, using your ceiling fan while your A/C is on allows you to raise your thermostat around 4 degrees and maintain the same level of comfort. Run ceiling fans counterclockwise to push cool air down. In cooler months, run your fans clockwise at a low speed to draw room air up and force warm air down.
3. Block the sun. During the hottest part of the day, cover windows to block the sun’s heat. If you can, open windows at night and early mornings to let the cool air in.
4. Use small appliances. Instead of the oven, use small appliances such as a microwave, toaster oven or slow cooker. They use less energy and won’t add much heat to your home.
5. Power down. Switch off your electronic devices, such as computers and coffee pots, when not in use. Keep in mind, electronics in standby mode still draw power. Use a smart power strip to power down devices and appliances at one time.
6. Shift use. Shift some energy use, such as running a dishwasher or clothes washer, to outside of the on-peak hours of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Demand on the electric grid is typically highest during these hours and the cost of electricity is the highest.
7. Get paid to conserve energy. It pays to be flexible! Enroll in SDG&E’s Power Saver Rewards program. Receive a bill credit when you lower your electricity use when energy is most in demand.
8. Sign up for Flex Alert Notifications. These are voluntary calls for conservation when the power grid is stressed.  This usually happens in the evening when solar generation is reduced and people are coming home from work and turning on air conditioners, lights and appliances. Do your part and sign up for notifications with FlexAlert.
9. Wash clothes in cold water. Did you know around 90% of the energy used in a clothes washer goes to heating the water? To save even more energy, consider hanging towels and sheets outdoors to dry.
10. ​Lights out. Turn off all unnecessary lights and use task or desktop lamps with LEDs instead of overhead lights.