CALIFORNIA, USA — As temperatures hit triple digits in Northern California, PG&E is offering tips on how homeowners can save on their electricity bills this summer.
The company says there are several ways to keep your home cool without cranking up the air conditioning and monthly cost.
Spokesperson Jeff Smith recommends getting a programmable thermostat that only turns the air on while you're home — and setting the temperature higher.
"So the higher you can set your temperature in your house, health permitting the lower your overall energy bill will be. Our recommendation is 78° or higher in your home, health permitting of course, will help keep energy costs in line," he said.
Smith also suggests checking the filters in an air conditioning unit every three months or so to ensure it’s in good condition.
Other tips on how to keep costs low by keeping the AC off are opening your windows early in the morning and late at night and then trapping that cool air in your home before turning on the AC.
“Once the temperatures start to rise, shut your windows, shut your drapes and the darker you can make it to prevent that sunlight from coming in that's going to help reduce your overall costs and keep the temperature in your lower naturally without having to use your air conditioner,” said Smith.
PG&E offers several programs that can help lower a bill like the Power Saver Rewards Program which offers discounts for reducing your electric use during the peak hours of 4-9 p.m. There’s also PG&E SmartRate which offers a lower rate for minimizing use during those same hours up to 15 hot days during the year.
If anyone needs more relief, Smith says to reach out to PG&E.
“We want to work with you, put you on a payment program. There's a variety of different things we can do. We really want to try and help find a fit that will meet our customers needs,” he said.
Some people can qualify for a monthly discount of up to 20% through the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) assistance program based on income or enrollment in public assistance programs. There’s also the REACH program that applies payments directly to past-due utility bills for qualifying families.
Find more information on how to save energy and money HERE.
