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SMUD - Connections
 
July 2009
  

KEEP BILLS DOWN WHEN THE MERCURY RISES

Keep Bills Down when the Mercury Rises

Triple-digit temperatures arrived early this year. To keep the rising mercury from lowering your bank account, SMUD offers a few simple tips:

  • Install a programmable thermostat, and set it to 78 degrees or higher during the day. Save as much as 10% on cooling costs for every two degree rise in temperature settings.
  • Run appliances before 4 p.m. and after 7 p.m. The more we lower energy use during peak hours, the fewer power plants we'll need to build. And that's good for everyone.
  • Install an economical whole house fan. Use it to draw in cool evening air to reduce indoor temperatures naturally. SMUD offers $100 rebates while funding lasts. Visit smud.org for details.
And speaking of fans, did you know that breezes from a ceiling fan or room fan can actually make you feel 5 degrees cooler? What's more, they cost less to run than your air conditioner.

Other saving tips include using window shades to stop sunlight from heating your home and cooking with the microwave instead of your oven. Take charge of your summer energy use. A host of money-saving tips -- like caulking doors and windows, planting free shade trees and line-drying your clothes -- awaits you at smud.org.

FOR SAFETY'S SAKE, KEEP SIGNS OFF POLES

Keep Signs Off Utility Poles Signs posted on utility poles are more than an eyesore. They're also a hazard for utility workers.

Nails, staples and screws used to post signs can cause serious injury to utility workers who climb the wooden utility poles every day in their jobs to keep the power flowing. These fasteners can damage climbing gear and cause workers to slip or fall.

Help keep our workers safe. When posting notices about lost pets, garage sales and other events, don't put signs on utility poles.

STAY COOL WITH POOLS THAT SAVE MONEY ON ENERGY

Save Money On Pool BillsThe energy needed to keep a pool clean for the swimming season can equal what's used to run everything else in the home. So it pays to take some simple steps to make your pool or spa more energy-efficient:

  • Replace your pool pump. Replacing a standard pump and motor assembly with a high-efficiency pump will often pay for itself in two to four years. Visit smud.org for an easy calculator showing the savings you may realize with an energy-efficient replacement.
  • Choose a multi-speed unit. While multi-speed pumps run twice as long at low speed to filter the same amount of water, they use a fraction of the energy used at full speed.
  • Cover your pool. A good pool cover keeps temperatures about 10 degrees higher and reduces evaporation of water and chemicals by about 70 percent. They help minimize equipment wear.
  • 78 works great. Set your pool heater to a constant 78 degrees and you'll use as much as 40 percent less energy than if you set it at 82 degrees. You'll still be comfortable and you'll be saving money.
Running pool equipment at off-hours, before 1 p.m. and after 9 p.m., helps SMUD meet energy demand on the hottest days. For more information, visit smud.org or call 1-888-742-SMUD (7683).

AVOID SUMMER'S "TWIN PEAKS" BY SAVING BOTH WATER AND ELECTRICITY

Save Water and ElectricityWhen temperatures rise, so does demand for water and electricity. That's when the cost of those precious resources is at its peak. And now, after three consecutive dry years, saving water is vital.

Water-related activities -- treatment, pumping, heating and conveyance to the home -- account for 19 percent of the energy used in the state. To keep costs down, local water agencies urge the following conservation steps:

  • Follow prescribed watering schedules.
  • In Sacramento, avoid watering from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on your prescribed watering days, and never water on Mondays.
Other tips for trimming peak demand for water and energy can be found by visiting the Regional Water Authority at www.rwah20.org.

IN THIS ISSUE

KEEP BILLS DOWN WHEN THE MERCURY RISES

FOR SAFETY'S SAKE, KEEP SIGNS OFF POLES

STAY COOL WITH POOLS THAT SAVE MONEY ON ENERGY

AVOID SUMMER'S "TWIN PEAKS" BY SAVING BOTH WATER AND ELECTRICITY

ENJOY HOT DEALS ON SMUD COOL ROOFS

Cat on a Cool Roof

Choose energy-efficient materials for your next re-roofing job, and you could get a rebate up to 20 cents per square foot from SMUD.

SMUD's Cool Roof program rewards customers who reroof using selected ENERGY STAR® roofing products -- those that reflect solar energy and discharge heat. They keep inside temperatures -- and cooling costs -- down. Compared to standard roof surfaces, Cool Roofs remain fifty to sixty degrees cooler on hot summer days!

To be eligible, SMUD customers must use a licensed roofing contractor. Qualifying roofs may be flat, low-sloped or steep sloped. Low-cost financing is available directly through SMUD.

For more information on Cool Roofs, log on to smud.org, or call (916) 732-5490.

 CUSTOMER SERVICE:
1-888-742-SMUD (7683)
Hours: M-F 7 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Pay online: www.smud.org

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