Electricity prices always seem to spike this time of year, and early 2018 is no different from previous years. Utility bills are no better. Still, we don’t have to take it lying down. There are some tricks we can employ to help fight back against rising energy bills. Read on to learn some tips to save as much as 40% on your electrical bill.
Change Lights
Older light bulbs use up more energy, costing you a fortune eventually. Switch them out for CFL or LED lights to cut your energy bill drastically. Sure, they cost more up front, but a reduction of 75% in your light energy bill more than makes up for that initial cost.
Smart Home
Use Smart devices to control lights, set heating or cooling patterns, and optimize your energy usage. If you have exterior lights for security, consider installing motion sensors. If you have outside pets that trigger the sensors constantly, simply tilt the sensor up slightly and extend the blind spot underneath the light out a few yards.
Service HVAC
Keeping your HVAC unit running efficiently means keeping it clean and serviced. It only takes a couple of hours to clean out the unit, straighten the vent fins, change the filter, and lubricate the motor. Better yet, call a professional to come service the unit for you. With about half of your annual energy bill tied up in heating and cooling your home, don’t neglect this critical step.
Turn Off Everything
We all do it. We get up, turn on the computer and leave it on all day as we go in and out of the room working. At the end of the night, we turn it off, but is that enough? The fact is electronics suck energy in even when they are off. Do your wallet a favor and install a power strip adequate for the load. Then, when the day is over, turn it off and stop the constant drain. Newer devices have hardware installed to remember your settings. If you have older equipment that doesn’t, you can leave that plugged in or just replace it.
Clean Vents/Filters
Your dryer vent may have a lint filter on it, but that doesn’t stop all the lint from getting by and catching in the exit pipe. To maximize dryer efficiency, thus reducing how long it must run, clean out the exit pipe annually. As these clogs present a fire hazard, you’re keeping your family and home safe, as well. While you’re at it, go around and wipe out all the air ducts and replace your house’s air filter. To help you remember to do this, get a dozen air filters and write each month on them or order a subscription for filters from something like Amazon. When the new one arrives, change the old one out!
Clean Your Fridge
No, don’t dive inside to throw away last week’s casserole. Pull the machine out from the wall and clean the coils with a special brush at the back or bottom of your unit. You can also vacuum them. This unit pulls more electricity in than the rest of your kitchen, so don’t make it harder for it to run by not cleaning it regularly.
New Appliances
This sounds counterintuitive, but, like with light bulbs, sometimes you need to just buy new appliances. If servicing and cleaning don’t stop the constant drain on your electricity, it’s time to donate or sell them and go for Energy Star-certified model.
Save on Heating and cooling
Most of the energy costs homeowners pay for are for heating and cooling, and if you home is not insulated correctly you could be paying a lot more. There are several aspects of insulation to look at. First, and most obviously, your actual insulation. Check the R-value and how deep your insulation is. If your insulation is damp, then you might have a problem with your roof. Your roof is the next major component for insulation. Your roof is incredibly important to insulating your home, and if it is old or damaged, it might be time to replace it. Last, check your windows. Unfortunately, windows have earned their reputation as bad insulators for a reason. They have a lot of moving parts and can leak air pretty easily. If you have any reason to believe your home is not insulated the way it should be, call Mr. Roof for a free estimate. We are here for you and all your exterior repair or replacement needs.
