PG&E offers tips to stay safe and keep energy bills lower this Thanksgiving
–As millions of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) customers get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving, the company has shared some tips on energy savings and safety.
“Holiday celebrations may look different this year as a result of the pandemic, and we want to help our customers keep electrical and gas safety in mind as well as ways to reduce energy costs,” said Laurie Giammona, PG&E Senior Vice President and Chief Customer Officer. “Whether you are gathering with a smaller, immediate family group or connecting virtually, we hope everyone finds time to safely enjoy this special time of year.”
PG&E shares these simple tips for customers enjoying the holidays:
- Start with a clean oven to reduce the risk of a grease fire and cook better-tasting food this holiday, and if the cleaning starts early there is less to do after the meal.
- Keep the oven door closed once the turkey starts cooking – Cut down your oven’s energy consumption by using the oven light to check on food instead of opening the door. It will help maintain the correct temperature and minimize the oven having to reheat itself.
- Use the stove instead of the oven as range-top cooking uses less energy. Also plan side dishes that can cook simultaneously with the turkey which will reduce the amount of time the oven is running. Use the microwave to reheat or cook small portions. This is useful advice for customers enjoying a vegetarian celebration, too.
- Install a dimmer light switch for the dining room light fixture. Dimming a bulb’s brightness by 10-percent can double the bulb’s lifespan. Keep the lights off in unused rooms.
- Use a dishwasher and scrape plates instead of rinsing with hot water to save energy and money. Wait until there is a full load before starting the dishwasher. And, be sure to stop the appliance before the heated dry cycle; open the door and let your dishes air-dry.
- Fire safety is critical on Thanksgiving as it is the peak day for home cooking fires especially when frying foods. Turkey fryers can easily tip over spilling hot oil across a large area. Customers should only use turkey fryers outdoors on a sturdy, level surface away from things that can burn.
PG&E also asks customers to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and local guidelines to help protect communities from COVID-19 during the holidays. Wear a mask in public settings, avoid close contact by staying at least 6 feet apart (about 2 arms’ length) from anyone not in the same household, and wash hands often with soap and water.
For more ways to stay safe this holiday season, visit www.pge.com/safety.
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