Easy Ways To Lower Your Electricity Bill
So many Americans feel overwhelmed by the costs of living. Food, water, electricity, gas: it all adds up and eats away at our monthly income. But most would be surprised to learn about the many ways to save on these bills. The cost of electricity, in particular, is much more controllable than most people realize. There are many easy ways to lower your electricity bill.
Unplug the Coffee Maker
Coffee makers and other small appliances like food processors and microwaves continue to use energy, even when they are not in use. Keeping them plugged in throughout the day is a careless way to drive up the electricity bill. Though unplugging them will only make a minor difference, it’s still better to save money than waste it.
Change Light Bulbs to LEDs
LED light bulbs use only a fraction of the energy that incandescent bulbs use. Also, with the benefit of improved technology, they are less expensive than the alternative. By replacing all your incandescent bulbs will LED bulbs, you will see immediate savings.
Insulate Your Windows and Doors
Our heating and cooling systems function to maintain a specific temperature. But so many people make the job harder on their AC systems by poorly insulating their homes. When cold air seeps out of tiny holes in doors and windows, the AC unit has to work overtime to keep everything cool. This expends more energy, which means a heftier electricity bill in the long run. You can avoid all that if you take the time to insulate your doors and windows properly.
Install Dimmer Switches
Installing dimmer switches will compel people to use them. Not only will these nifty gadgets create softer, more comfortable lighting, but they are also one of the easiest ways to lower your electricity bill. Simply put, a dimmer light is a cheaper light. If you want to save some money, a dimmer switch is well worth the initial investment.
Also, remember to change the HVAC filters. Dirty filters cause your system to work harder than it should due to decreased airflow. The harder your system works, the more energy it consumes for heating and cooling your home.
Timely HVAC filter replacement is another easy way to lower electricity bills. When dirt chokes off the airflow, the system will run longer in order to move enough heated or cooled air throughout the home to meet the thermostat setting. The longer your HVAC system runs, the more energy it uses. The more energy it uses, the higher your electric bill.
Thank you for sharing! Pipes and conserving energy also go hand in hand. While they aren’t usually the first thing a homeowner thinks about when it comes to saving energy costs, pipes can be a big drain. Insulating pipes, using the right pipe material, and keeping pipes in good repair reduces energy waste and utility bills. The key to saving energy is to use the right kind of piping material for each plumbing job in the home: for cold water jobs, hot water jobs and outdoor jobs.
Good suggestions! I also want to suggest such a thing as installing smart thermostat to slash your bills. It doesn’t require a ton of installation, and it saves you money all year long. Just set your thermostat to a lower setting during the night, but not dangerously low, and you’ll see a big difference when you’re bill arrives. Most people save at least 10 percent off their heating bill by using a smart thermostat.
Thank you for sharing! I just want to add a few words about windows. Insulation is a good thing if your windows are pretty good. If they’re old and have many cracks and holes, it’s better to replace them. Even though windows have always been expensive, this is an investment that pays off and works for you all year round. High-quality windows drastically improve a home’s energy efficiency, reducing your utility bills. If you’re going to replace windows, consider thermally broken windows or windows with low-e glass.
As for the windows, they also may need replacement if they’re too old and have many cracks. After all, air leaks through low-quality windows can account for 30% of your heating bills! I recommend considering windows with low-e glass. Most options with low-e glass have coatings on both the inside and outside glass panes. A low-e coating on the interior facing side of the window allows the glass to reflect heat back inside to reduce the heat lost from the interior to the exterior in the winter cold. A low-e coating on the outside reduces the amount of heat transfer into the home from outside during the hot summer months.