Heating/Cooling

Home Heating

Prepare for cool weather by having SDG&E or a qualified, licensed contractor inspect your entire gas or electric heating system. You can save energy when using your furnace if you set the thermostat to 68°F during the day and 55°F or lower at night. And set the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F (140°F for some dishwasher models, so check the owner’s manual). Additionally, help your heater run safely and efficiently during the winter by following these steps:

• Verify that the pilot lights of all gas appliances, including gas furnaces, are clear blue with little flecks of orange. If the flames are mostly yellow or soot is visible, have SDG&E or a qualified licensed contractor check and adjust the appliance immediately to avoid possible carbon monoxide poisoning.

• Clean or replace furnace filters once every three months or as necessary.

• Keep heating vents clear and check chimneys for blockage.

• Keep heat sources, such as lamps, away from the thermostat.

• Give your appliances enough air to operate. Leave a window open an inch when your heater is on.

Home Cooling

Cutting cooling costs is easy when you know what to do. A poorly maintained air conditioner uses 10 to 30 percent more energy than necessary. But if you follow these simple steps, you’ll be well on your way to cutting your energy bills.

• Have a yearly safety check and tune-up. Each spring, a licensed heating and air conditioning technician should service your system. It’s a small investment considering that you could spend as much as $500 on cooling your home in just one season.

• Clear away weeds and debris. If air can’t circulate freely around your outside unit, you’ll have higher bills and more service calls. Shading the unit can help, as long as air flow is not blocked.

• Replace or clean dirty filters. Dirty air filters are the No. 1 cause of air conditioning service calls. But filters are easy to replace and you can do it yourself. Put in a new one every month during the summer. Be sure all hardware is replaced and securely attached.

• Repair crushed, disconnected or leaky ducts. If a supply duct has worked loose from a vent or connecting duct, the air from your cooling system never reaches the rooms. In fact, about 25 percent of every dollar spent on cooling can be lost through leaky ducts.

• Set your thermostat to 78 degrees when you are home and 85 degrees or off when you are away. Using ceiling or room fans allows you to set the thermostat higher because the air movement will cool the room. Always take into account health considerations and be sure to drink plenty of fluids in warm weather.

• Consider a whole-house fan. Because some nights are cool, but have no breeze, you may benefit from using a whole-house fan to force cool air through your home. A whole-house fan is permanently installed in your attic and draws cooler air into your home and forces warmed air out through the attic vents.

• Shade your home’s exterior with landscaping, awnings or overhangs. Shading your house with trees can make a surprising difference in your cooling bills. Just remember to keep fire safety in mind when deciding what and where to plant.

• When replacing cooling equipment, have your contractor calculate the right size for your home. Also look for the Energy Star® label.

• Use a portable or ceiling fan to circulate air whenever possible. A fan costs only 2¢ an hour to operate, versus 80¢ an hour or more for central air conditioning.

• Install reflective film or solar shade screens on windows with direct sun exposure.