SAN DIEGO, April 29, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- To help customers save energy and money as we head into summer, San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) offers the top 10 ways to save energy:

1. Sign up for My Account. You'll be able to do much more than just pay your bill online, you can: get an "at-a-glance" view of your energy use, get an app to help analyze your energy, and get a personalized action plan to manage your energy costs.
2. Replace regular bulbs with CFLs or LEDs. Lighting can be up to 20 percent of your home's energy use. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) or LEDs provide the same amount of light as incandescent bulbs using less energy. CFLs use up to 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, can last up to 10 times longer and can save you up to $500 a year.
3. Power down—use a power strip. Save up to $300 a year by using smart strips and unplugging items not in use. Many appliances are still drawing power, even when switched off. Using power strips or unplugging things like DVRs, sound systems, game consoles and flat screen TVs can save on your bill.
4. Adjust your thermostat. Set your thermostat to 78 F for summer AC and 68 F for winter heat if your health permits. For every two degrees you turn down your thermostat in winter or up in summer, you can reduce costs by up to $200 a year.
5. Lower your water temperature. A 20 F reduction can save you over $80 a year.
6. Use an energy-efficient, variable speed pool pump to save up to $500 a year on your pool's energy costs. For additional savings, SDG&E offers a $200 rebate on select models. Try to limit filtering to between four and no more than six hours.
7. Try cold water wash. Save up to $42 per year on electric water heating costs by washing with cold water. Save even more with a $50 rebate on select washing machines and a $100 rebate on select water heaters.
8. Save up to 50% on outdoor lighting. Reduce outdoor lighting costs by up to 50 percent with a motion sensor. Just one 150-watt outdoor security floodlight can cost up to $125 a year. A string of six low voltage landscape lights can cost more than $90 a year. Use a timer to turn these lights off after bedtime to save while you're asleep.
9. Buy energy-efficient appliances. Save up to $80 a year on energy costs by choosing ENERGY STAR® appliances, such as a refrigerator. Increase your savings with $50 SDG&E rebates on select appliances. Recycle your old, working refrigerator or freezer with SDG&E for $35 and free pick-up.
10. Seal and insulate your home. You could lower your heating and cooling bill more than $250 per year by having proper insulation, a time-tested step that can help save energy year-round. A rebate of $0.15 per square foot is available through sdge.com/rebates.

These tips are featured on the new Energy Diet website at sdge.com/energydiet that offers simple ideas and information to start saving energy this summer, including a few short videos with practical energy-saving tips. Savings were calculated using an average use of 1,000 kilowatt-hours per month and actual savings may vary. The Energy Diet site features tools to help customers reduce their energy use every week, so they can watch the kilowatt-hours and the dollars melt away on their energy bills. Customers can start by trying out the interactive energy-saving calculator, then use the energy-management tool to see where the energy they use is going.

Visit sdge.com/save-money for information on more ways to save money every day or call Energy Savings Center at 1-800-644-6133 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, to talk to an energy service specialist.

Energy-efficiency programs are funded by California utility customers and administered by SDG&E under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission. Rebates and incentives are provided on a first-come, first-served basis until program funds are no longer available. 

SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.4 million consumers through 1.4 million electric meters and more than 860,000 natural gas meters in San Diego and southern Orange counties. The utility's area spans 4,100 square miles. SDG&E is committed to creating ways to help customers save energy and money every day. SDG&E is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), a Fortune 500 energy services holding company based in San Diego. Connect with SDG&E's Customer Contact Center at 800-411-7343, on Twitter (@SDGE) and Facebook.

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SOURCE SDG&E