Beat The Summer Heat
Record breaking heat waves have become a staple of summers in America. Those hardest hit are the most vulnerable – seniors, young children and people with chronic health conditions. Extreme heat kills more people in the United States than any other weather hazard. Extreme heat events in the United States are expected to become even more common, more severe and longer lasting.
Here’s a list of tips to help stay cool and safe. Visit sdge.com/MyEnergy for more tips.
- Visit a Cool Zone which is a network of free, air-conditioned facilities across San Diego County like libraries and community centers. If you’re unable to get to a Cool Zone, call 2-1-1 to be connected to a transportation service at no cost. Visiting Cool Zones is also a way to use less energy at home and help reduce your energy costs. Find a Cool Zone near you at sdge.com/Cool-Zones or bit.ly/43EdfKw.
- Learn about the Cool Zone Fan Program and find out if you qualify for a free fan at bit.ly/CoolZoneFans.
- Catch a movie in an air-conditioned theatre during hot afternoons. Ticket prices are usually less expensive earlier in the day too.
- Don’t forget about your pets. When outdoors, carry water for your fur baby, try to stay in the shade and keep their paws off hot asphalt and other hot surfaces. Never leave an animal in a hot vehicle. At home, put ice cubes in your pet’s water bowl and place a cool, damp towel down for them to lay on.
- Keep your home’s shades, curtains and blinds closed during the hottest part of the day to help keep the sun’s rays out.
- Your stove and oven can give off a lot of heat so make meals that don’t require heat, like salads and sandwiches.
- When temperatures cool in the evening, open windows to let the cooler air in.
- Run your ceiling fan counter-clockwise so it pushes cooler air down. Reverse your ceiling fan direction in the winter for the opposite effect.
- If you have a window air conditioning unit, seal any cracks. If you have central A/C, check the ducts for proper insulation and clean filters regularly.
- Shift your energy use outside of 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. to save. Energy costs are the highest during this time. Do your heat-generating chores like laundry or running the dishwasher before 4 p.m. or after 9 p.m.
Need Help Paying Your Utility Bills?
There are programs and services available to help manage your bills.
- Phone bill discount: The California LifeLine Program provides discounted phone services to eligible households. To learn more, visit CaliforniaLifeline.com or call 866-272-0349.
- Home internet discount service: You may be eligible for free or low-cost home internet service through the California’s Emerging Technology Fund. Get details at InternetForAllNow.org or call 866-519-8655.
- Low-income Household Water Assistance Program: This federal program provides financial assistance to low-income Californians to help manage their residential water utility costs. Since the federal grant provides the funding, you do not have to repay it. Learn more at bit.ly/3K7B4nd.
¿Necesitas ayuda para pagar las facturas de servicios públicos?
Hay programas y servicios disponibles para ayudarte a gestionar tus facturas.
- Descuento en la factura del teléfono: El programa California LifeLine ofrece servicios telefónicos con descuento a hogares elegibles. Para obtener más información, visita CaliforniaLifeline.com o llama al 866-272-0349.
- Servicio de descuento de internet en el hogar: Es posible que califiques para recibir servicio de internet gratuito o de bajo costo en tu hogar a través del Fondo para las Tecnologías Emergentes de California (California’s Emerging Technology Fund). Obtén más detalles en InternetForAllNow.org o llama al 866-519-8655.
- Programa de Asistencia para Hogares de Bajos Ingresos en el Pago del Agua: Este programa federal ofrece asistencia financiera a los californianos de bajos ingresos para ayudarles a gestionar los costos de servicios públicos de agua en sus hogares. No tienes que devolver el dinero ya que los fondos provienen de una subvención federal. Obtén más información en bit.ly/3K7B4nd.
Sign Up For Statewide Flex Alert Notifications
Did you know you can make a difference when it comes to preventing rotating power outages? This summer, as temperatures rise and there is higher energy demand, you can help prevent rotating outages by conserving energy when a Flex Alert is called.
Flex Alerts are triggered by the state’s power grid operator, California ISO, when demand for energy is expected to exceed what is needed to power the state. This is particularly true in the summer when more Californians turn on their air conditioning, which puts more demand on the grid.
When a Flex Alert is called, customers are asked to conserve energy. This action could help the grid when it’s especially stressed and help avoid rotating outages. Simple steps, like turning off unused lighting or precooling your home before a Flex Alert begins, can make a big difference.
To learn more about Flex Alerts and sign up for notifications, visit FlexAlert.org.
Regístrate Para Recibir Notificaciones De Flex Alerts
¿Sabías que puedes marcar la diferencia para ayudar a prevenir los apagones rotativos? Este verano, a medida que aumentan las temperaturas y hay una mayor demanda de energía, puedes ayudar a evitar los apagones rotativos conservando energía cuando se activa una Alerta Flex (o Flex Alert en inglés).
El operador de la red eléctrica del estado, conocido como el ISO de California, emite las Flex Alerts cuando se anticipa que la demanda de energía excederá lo que está disponible en todo el estado. Esto generalmente ocurre en el verano, cuando más californianos usan sus aparatos de aire acondicionado para mantenerse frescos, lo que ocasiona más demanda en la red eléctrica.
Cuando se activa una Flex Alert, se les pide a todos los californianos que conserven energía. El tomar medidas sencillas para conservar, como apagar las luces que no está usando o enfriar el hogar antes de que comience una Flex Alert podría ayudar a la red eléctrica cuando está especialmente estresada y ayudar a evitar los apagones rotativos. Para obtener más información sobre las Flex Alerts y registrarte para recibir notificaciones, visite FlexAlert.org/spanish.
Moving? Schedule Your Sdg&E Service Request Online
Take a little stress out of your move when you schedule your SDG&E service request online. Use SDG&E’s My Account to start, transfer or stop your service. It’s easy and only takes a minute. No need to call and no need to wait on the phone. Online scheduling shows you available dates that you can choose. If your plans change, simply update your request online. Get more information at sdge.com/move.