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Beat SCE peak hours without sweating

Most Southern California Edison homes are on time-of-use plans, where electricity costs the most in the late afternoon and evening, typically 4 to 9 p.m. That's exactly when inland valleys are hottest. A few habits help.

Pre-cool, then coast

• From noon to 4 p.m., set the thermostat 2 to 3 degrees cooler than usual.
• At 4 p.m., raise it 2 to 4 degrees and let the house coast on the cooling you've stored.
• Close blinds on west-facing windows before the afternoon sun hits.

Use a programmable or smart thermostat

Set it once and it handles the schedule every day. Many smart thermostats can follow your utility's peak hours automatically.

Don't overdo the swing

Turning the AC completely off during peak hours on a 105°F day can make the house so hot that the system runs for hours afterward to catch up. A modest setback works better.

Check your actual plan

SCE offers several rate plans with different hours and prices. Log in to your SCE account to confirm your plan's peak hours before changing your schedule.