As the summer heat comes to the majority of the United States, more and more people wonder what they can do to lower their electric bills. That said, here are the top tips we have found.
Cooling – You may be surprised to hear that about 50% of the energy costs for a home is from associated heating and cooling costs. In the summer of course you are concerned with cooling, not heating. You can make your AC more efficient by ensuring you change the filter, keep the unit in working order and sealing the ducts to increase proper airflow and efficiency. Another money saving tip is to invest in a thermostat that can be programmed, which will automatically turn off your pricey AC or heat when nobody is home or when you are asleep.
Save money on appliances – The amount of appliances we have in our homes can be mind boggling sometimes. They are in every room of our house, and they come in all sizes and types. From major appliances such as your refrigerator, your washer and your dryer to smaller ones like your toaster, coffee maker and blender, you can save costs by purchasing energy saving units. They might cost a bit more upfront, but the savings will pile up from month to month with lower energy costs.
Water Heating – The costs of using your water heater usually come in as the second largest energy cost you have for your home. Think about all the showers and baths you use, not to mention hot water for washing dishes. You can buy efficient, energy saving water heaters which will pay for themselves over the long haul by reducing energy bills.
Lighting – Many will be shocked to hear that lighting costs the average homeowner approximately 20% of their electric bill. Sure, your mother always told you to turn off the lights in a vacated room, and that helps tremendously, however you also need to remove the incandescent light bulbs that may still be in your home and replace them with CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) that mostly come in those weird spiral bulbs. Those newer bulbs use 75% less energy than the incandescent bulbs! Startling, but true, and the cost of the new bulbs will easily be made up within 6 months of usage because if you?ll remember they last approximately 10 times longer than an incandescent bulbs.
Home Electronics – Various appliances from TVs to even stoves and microwaves use digital displays that are in ?standby? power mode. When purchasing such items make sure of the energy rating that each is given, and opt for those that use less energy even in ?standby? mode!
Office Equipment – Besides the fact that most home office equipment is running 24 hours a day, all of the accessories associated with a home office also drain off a tremendous amount of energy. Be sure to purchase equipment that is the lowest rated energy guzzler anytime you replace the office equipment.
You don’t have to be a genius to lower your monthly electric bills, just follow these easy and straightforward tips.