SAN DIEGO, Dec. 7, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) reminds its customers they may see higher gas bills this month due to the increased use of home furnaces in November and over the holidays.
"Because of the cold weather over the past month, many of our customers have been turning up their furnaces to stay warm and the result will be higher gas bills," said Michelle Mueller, vice president of customer services for SDG&E.
Mueller said natural gas costs have risen nationwide due to market factors, including cold weather, tight supplies and increased demand. Based on current industry price projections, typical residential customers of SDG&E will see their combined monthly bills increase to $134 this winter (based on 50 therms of gas usage and 500 kWh of electricity usage), compared with $122 last year, Mueller said.
SDG&E offers customers these helpful tips to help manage their winter gas bills:
-- Focus on the furnace, the use of which accounts for about half of
a typical customer's monthly gas bill;
-- Lower the furnace thermostat 3 degrees to 5 degrees (health
permitting). Turn it off when not at home. It costs about $1.00
an hour to run the furnace, which can add up over many hours,
days, weeks and months.
-- Check furnace filters every month during the heating season and
clean or replace the filter when necessary. When installing a
new or cleaned filter, be sure to re-install the front panel door
of the furnace properly so it fits snugly.
-- Never operate the furnace without the front-panel door properly
in place because doing so may create the risk of carbon monoxide
poisoning;
-- Don't block heating outlets or return registers with furniture or
other objects;
-- Repair cracks or broken seams in forced-air heating ducts;
-- Install or upgrade attic insulation;
-- Caulk and weatherstrip drafty windows and doors;
-- Open the drapes or blinds during the day and let the sun help
warm the home. Close drapes or blinds at night to keep the
warmth inside;
-- Consider adding another blanket or two at night to stay warm;
-- And, choose a higher efficiency model when shopping for a new
gas furnace.
Mueller encouraged customers who may have difficulty paying their gas bills to call SDG&E to work out payment arrangements or to receive information on the Level Pay Plan. Customer-assistance programs, such as the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program, which provides a 20-percent discounted rate to income-qualified customers, also are available. Customers can visit SDG&E's Web site, at www.sdge.com, for more conservation information.
SDG&E is a regulated public utility that provides safe and reliable energy service to 3.2 million consumers through 1.3 million electric meters and more than 800,000 natural gas meters. The company's service territory encompasses 4,100 square miles in San Diego and southern Orange counties. Exceptional customer service is a priority of SDG&E as it seeks to enhance the region's quality of life. SDG&E is a regulated subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE), a San Diego-based Fortune 500 energy services holding company.