Southern California Gas Co. Offers Conservation Tips to Reduce Winter Gas Bills

Business Wire, Dec 22, 1998

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 22, 1998--As cold weather descends on California, Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) is offering its customers helpful energy conservation tips for keeping their gas bills lower.

"Residential gas consumers use four to seven times more natural gas in the winter months than during the summertime," said Anne Smith, vice president of customer services and marketing for SoCalGas.

SoCalGas offers the following conservation tips:

-- Add insulation to your uninsulated or inadequately insulated

attic;

-- Install an automatic setback thermostat;

-- Caulk cracks around your window and doors;

-- Weatherstrip your windows and doors;

-- Check your furnace filter every month during the heating season

and clean or replace the filter when necessary;

-- When installing a new or cleaned filter, be sure to replace the

front panel door of the furnace so it fits snugly;

-- Repair cracks or broken seams in forced-air heating ducts;

-- Set your thermostat at 68 degrees during the day and 55 degrees

or lower at bedtime. Consider adding another blanket or two at

night to stay warm;

-- Open the drapes during the day and let the sun help warm your

home. Close drapes at night to keep the warmth inside;

-- Turn the thermostat off if you're going to be away for more than

one day;

-- During cold weather, close all openings to cooling units

(evaporative coolers, wall and window air conditioners) to keep

the heat in;

-- Don't block heating outlets or return registers with furniture or

other objects;

-- And choose a high-efficiency model when you're in the market for

a new gas furnace.

Smith said that there are agencies throughout Southern California that offer assistance to customers who have difficulty paying their gas bills. Customers may call The Gas Company's Customer Resource Center, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at 800/427-2200 for information about these agencies or the California Alternate Rates for Energy (CARE) Program, which provides a 15 percent discount to income-qualified customers.

The Gas Company's Customer Resource Center is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take customer calls and requests for service. Customers may also visit The Gas Company's Web site for more conservation information. The address is: http://www.socalgas.com.

Southern California Gas Co. is the nation's largest natural gas distribution utility, serving 18 million consumers through 4.8 million meters. The company's service territory encompasses 23,000 square miles throughout most of central and Southern California. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE:SRE), a Fortune 500 energy service holding company based in San Diego.