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These days every day things that we use to take for granted are getting more and more expensive. If you are looking for ways to cut back on your spending, your electric bill is an easy place to start. Keep reading for quick tips on how to lower the power bill this summer.
Leaving Electronics Plugged In
Even when they're turned off, appliances and electronics consume energy. Unplug your TV, computer, or phone charger, when not in use. This will reduce your utility bills. Multiple wireless devices can be switched off at once by connecting them to a power strip.
Taking Long Showers
With a few small adjustments to your habits, you can avoid running heated water for extended intervals. Long, steamy, spa-grade showers drain the hot water in your tank, forcing your water heater to use more energy to heat a new batch of cold water. Cut your bathroom's energy consumption by taking shorter showers.
Leaving Lights on in Unoccupied Rooms
Leaving your lights on is an extremely common energy waster, but it's also an easy habit to break. Make it a goal to remember to switch off the light when leaving a room or house; you will save electricity and extend the life of your bulbs. If you're prone to forgetting, you can remotely schedule, monitor, and control your lighting with a smart home system.
Using Incandescent Lights Instead of LED Bulbs
Traditional incandescent lights use up an enormous amount of energy. Switching to energy-efficient bulbs is a fast way to lessen energy consumption. By using ENERGY STAR-certified bulbs, you can use between 25% and 80% less power than standard incandescent bulbs and your bulbs can about 25 times longer.
Running A Half-full Dishwasher
An average dishwasher consumes approximately 1,800 watts of electricity per day, costing $66 annually to run. By only turning on the dishwasher when it is full, you can reduce energy consumption. You can also reduce the dishwasher’s overall energy use by about 15% by changing its wash setting to air dry instead of heat dry.
Ignoring Air Leaks
Try to pinpoint draft sources around your home. The most common culprits of drafts are doors and windows. If they aren’t correctly insulated, they can leak cold air during the summer. It would also be wise to check areas where utilities enter your homes like water, electricity, and cable sources, and caulk around those areas to stop any leaks.
There are basic tricks to locate drafts such as using feel or lighting a candle to find the source of air that makes it flicker. With that said, by far the most efficient method to find drafts is by hiring a trusted electrical professional to perform an electrical system audit on your home.
Washing Your Clothes In Heated Water
You can reduce your washing machine’s power consumption by almost 90% by using cold water to wash your clothes. Close to 90% of your machine’s use goes into heating water. Using hot water to wash clothes isn't even necessary unless you’re trying to clean grease or oil.
Setting The Water Heater Settings Too High
Monitor your water heater settings! In many houses, the water heater temperature is unnecessarily high. Although the Department of Energy suggests only 120 degrees for efficient energy consumption, often water heaters are programmed to 140 by default.
Forgetting to Change Your Air Filters
Homes with functioning HVAC units should have their air filters replaced regularly. These air filters trap dust particles as the air conditioner runs. As the air filter captures more and more particles, it clogs, meaning it has to work extra hard to pull the air in, thus using up more energy. To prevent this from happening, we recommend you replace your air filters every 3 months.
Keeping the Fridge Open Too Long
It may seem like you’re only looking into your refrigerator for 30 seconds to a minute, but over the course of a year those seconds really add up. Over the course of a year, on average people spend about 10 hours looking into their fridges. This works out to be about 7% of the appliance's total energy consumption.
As always, you know Tru-Line Electric is here to help you with all your home’s electrical needs. If you need an energy use audit, electrical system upgrade, or repairs done for your home, we are happy to help! Don’t forget: You’re Fine With Tru-Line!