January 2019 Residential Messaging from SDG&E®

Article 1: Pipeline basics: Your safety comes first

Whether you use natural gas at home or work, pipelines are needed to deliver it to you safely. SDG&E routinely patrols, tests, repairs and replaces pipelines, and conducts ongoing training and testing for employees.

Our goal is to identify and resolve potential problems to help prevent major problems. These preventive actions include:

  • Managing a rigorous pipeline integrity safety program in highly populated areas.
  • Using advanced safety inspection tools to monitor pipe condition and verify that pipelines are being maintained safely.
  • Monitoring areas around pipelines to maintain proper clearance from shrubs, trees, fences and other obstructions that could hinder these important inspection activities.

You can find the approximate location of major pipelines near you in two ways:

  • Pipeline markers, such as the one shown above, indicate the general location but not the depth or number of buried pipelines in the area. These yellow markers display the pipeline operator’s name and a phone number to call in case of emergency.
  • Online maps are posted on our website at sdge.com/pipelinemap and on the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) website at www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov.

These maps and markers should never be used as substitutes for contacting DigAlert at 811 or digalert.org.

Article 2: Want to save energy at home this winter?

There are many steps you can take that will help reduce your overall energy costs. The more efficient your home is, and the less energy transferred from inside to outside, the less energy it’ll take to keep your home comfortable.

Check out these winter energy-savings tips:

  1. Sunshine is your friend! Open the curtains and blinds on west- and east-facing windows during the day to allow sunshine and warmth into your home. Then close your curtains at night to insulate your home from the winter night chill.
  2. Check your insulation. Insulation is like the winter coat for your house. The heavier it is, the warmer it will be. If your home is poorly insulated, it may be time to add some eco-friendly insulation. Add insulation blankets to the attic floor or wrap your water heater in fiberglass insulation.
  3. Seal leaks. Find vulnerable areas of your home where cold air gets in and warm air escapes like unsealed doors and windows. Seal leaks with weather stripping and ensure seals around ducts are in good condition. Cover unused fireplaces to prevent passage of air through the flue.
  4. Install a programmable thermostat. Set the unit to run at one temperature when you’re home and awake, another while you’re sleeping, and another when you’re not home.
  5. Keep those toes warm. Switch to underfloor heating which uses radiant heating to warm the entire room from the ground up. Heat travels upward which makes a floor heater more efficient than a heater with ducts placed near the ceiling.
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