As temperatures begin to rise this 4th of July holiday weekend, we're here to help you prepare with energy-savings tips to keep you cool at home while also staying safe. Increased temperatures, like what we're expected to experience this holiday weekend, often leads to increased air conditioning use, which is why we're providing customers with the tips, tools and resources to help with shifting energy use outside peak hours of 4 p.m. – 9 p.m. to save. 

Summer energy tips  

• Block heat from the sun. During the hot hours of the day, cover windows to block the sun’s heat. Opening windows in the evening can help your home cool back down.  
• Use ceiling fans. Ceiling fans are an efficient way to cool your home.  
• Maintain your air conditioner. Follow manufacturer instructions for maintaining your air conditioning unit to ensure it’s operating efficiently. Change the filter every 1-2 months.  
• Turn down your water heater by a few degrees. Many water heaters are set higher than the temperature we actually use. Reducing this by a few degrees can reduce your energy costs.  
• DIY Project: Weatherproof your home. Weather strip and caulk drafty windows and doors to keep cool air in and warm air out.  
• Keep track of your energy use and costs with email or text alerts. Visit sdge.com/myaccount to stay on top of your bill, energy use and more by clicking on "Notification Settings".  
• Don’t have air conditioning? The County has more than 70 free air-conditioned Cool Zone locations throughout the region where you can go to beat the heat. SDG&E also provides free electric fans to residents who are 60 years of age and older, or disabled, living on limited incomes. For more information and to find a list of Cool Zone locations and hours of operation, visit coolzones.org.   

If you’re on a Time-of-Use plan, remember that shifting some energy use outside the hours of 4 p.m. -9 p.m. can also result in savings on your energy bill. Regardless of your payment plan, if you’re worried about spikes in your energy bill during summer, consider our Level Pay program. Level pay averages out your costs throughout the year, making your energy bill more predictable and easier to budget for.  

We’re committed to helping our customers stay safe and informed throughout the year. For more information on summer safety, efficiency tips and available programs to help with your summer energy costs, visit sdge.com/myenergy.