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Southern California Gas reminds customers to conserve energy in cooler temps 

–With forecasts calling for average temperatures across Southern California to be in the 40s from Wednesday through at least Sunday, Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas)  shared tips to help customers save on their energy costs. During cold weather, customers typically use three to seven times more natural gas for space and water heating, which can result in higher bills. Increased demand for natural gas can also strain local energy supplies.

There are many simple steps customers can take to reduce their natural gas use during cold weather to help keep energy costs affordable. They include:

  • Set your thermostat to 68 degrees when you are home and 55 degrees when you are not home. Lowering your thermostat three to five degrees can save up to 10 percent on heating costs.
  • Install proper caulking and weather-stripping; this can save roughly 10 to 15 percent on heating and cooling costs.
  • Wash clothes in cold water to save up to 10 percent on water heating costs.
  • Clean or replace your furnace filters according to manufacturer recommendations.
  • Have your air ducts tested for leaks. Leaky ducts can cost between 10 to 30 percent in heating and cooling costs.
  • Turn down the temperature on your water heater.
  • Take shorter showers to reduce your natural gas use.
  • Fix leaky faucets and pipes. Hot water leaks cause increased demand on the water heater, which increases natural gas use. One drop of water per second can waste 500 gallons of hot water per year.
  • Limit use of non-essential natural gas appliances, such as spas and fireplaces.

 

More energy saving tips are located on the SoCalGas website.

Customers are also encouraged to sign up for free bill tracking alerts and other online tools to help keep heating affordable this winter. “Bill Tracker Alerts” are an easy way to track natural gas use each week—instead of waiting until the monthly bill arrives—and can help customers use less natural gas and lower their bills. Customers can enroll for Bill Tracker Alerts in My Account on the SoCalGas website.  Once enrolled, they can easily access their gas usage information, pay bills, schedule service orders and sign up for Bill Tracker Alerts by visiting “Manage My Account: Manage Alerts.”

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The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.