With below-average temperatures expected to continue into next week, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) offered its customers tips and tools to save money on home heating and hot water costs during cold weather. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures in Southern California have been 12 to 18 degrees below normal for the last week plus. During cold weather events, natural gas use for home heating and hot water increases. SoCalGas customers can help manage their energy costs by:
-Setting your thermostat to 68 degrees when you are home and even lower when you are not home. Lowering your thermostat three to five degrees can save up to 10 percent on heating costs.
-Washing clothes in cold water to save up to 10 percent on water heating costs.
-Turning down the temperature on your water heater and taking shorter showers to reduce your natural gas use.
-Registering for My Account online. Set up an online account at socalgas.com/myaccount to create customized energy savings plans for your household, understand energy usage and charges, and to learn about the effects of weather on energy use.
-Signing up for Bill Tracker Alerts. This free tool—sent via email or text message—can help customers use less natural gas and lower their bills by tracking gas use each week. Customers can sign up for Bill Tracker Alerts by logging into their My Account and clicking on the “Manage My Account” tab. Learn more at socalgas.com/save-money-and-energy/advanced-meter/bill-tracker-alerts.
-Taking advantage of rebates and incentives on energy-efficient products. Customers can save money by visiting socalgas.com/save-money-and-energy/rebates-and-incentives to see which Energy Star certified appliance and energy-efficient natural gas rebates are currently available, and also find and compare energy efficient products in the SoCalGas Marketplace. Since 1990, SoCalGas’ energy efficiency and rebate programs have helped families and businesses save approximately $672 million on their natural gas bills.
More than 90 percent of households in Southern California rely on natural gas for space heating and hot water, and prefer it by a ratio of 4 to 1 over electricity for those uses. Today, SoCalGas has the second-lowest average bill among the 50 largest natural gas utilities in America, and natural gas continues to rank among the most affordable sources of energy.
According to the American Gas Association, households that use natural gas for water and space heating, and cooking and clothes drying, save an average of $874 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications.
To learn more about SoCalGas energy savings programs, visit socalgas.com/save-money-and-energy.
