Also serving the communities of De Luz, Rainbow, Camp Pendleton, Pala and Pauma

Appliances can use a vacation, too

Before jetting to a tropical island or hiking up that favorite mountain for an end-of-summer getaway, residents should consider giving their appliances a vacation, too.

To save energy while they are away, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) recommends:

• Turning electric water heaters off at the circuit breaker. Remember, water will take time to reheat when turned back on.

• Setting gas appliance pilot lights to “pilot” position.

• Turning off pool, spa and waterbed heaters. Reduce pool filtering time to a minimum.

• Making sure the automatic settings on air conditioning and appliances set on timers are turned off. For security purposes, consider leaving some lights or possibly a radio or television on timers. It only costs about five cents to have a 25- watt compact fluorescent bulb on for 10 hours and it can help protect one’s home.

Even after following these tips one might find the monthly electric bill stayed the same or even increased because of the extra energy used before and after vacation for cooking, cleaning and laundry. And, because a home is closed up, the refrigerator and freezer may run longer than normal due to heat buildup in the home.

The best bet is to invest in energy-efficient appliances to help save energy and money all year ’round. Check with SDG&E to see if rebates are available before purchasing appliances.

For more information on additional ways to save energy this summer, visit http://www.sdge.com/news/summer.shtml or call SDG&E’s Energy Information Center at (800) 644-6133.

 

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