5 Simple Steps To Lower Your Energy Cost

Households are using more power and paying more for it. We love our devices, smartTV, and if you’ve got an electric car that too is sucking up a lot of watts. However, the appliances that typically are the most power-hungry include air conditioning, water heating, refrigerator, clothes dryers and lighting. So how do you cut your power costs without compromising their usage of appliances? The answer lies in your home becoming energy efficient.

Here are our quick five tips to cut down your monthly energy usage without compromising your comfort.

Change Supplier

Delivery and supply of electricity is no longer the domain of a monopoly so homeowners really can take back some control over how much they pay for power and who they chose as their supplier. There are over 3000 gas and electricity utilities in the USA and every state has many competitors all wanting your business.

Say, if you are residing in Massachusetts, you can check Massachusetts electricity rates comparison, and compare their rate with your current provider. This is the best option for getting a better deal for the same electricity. You may be wondering how one business can charge a lot less than others for the same electricity well it’s due to their business model and how they source supply on the open market. So this is our top tip – remember to hunt around for the best price.

Make Sure To Unplug

There are assumptions that unused appliances that were still plugged in and on ‘standby’ are not consuming any energy at all. This is not true.

Appliances on standby may account for 10% total energy usage so be sure to switch off appliances you don’t need on standby. Your computers are a good example of appliances that don’t need to be on standby however if you prefer to look for power savings elsewhere consider our other tips.

Buy Smart Lights

Smart lights are more than a fad, and most offer energy efficiency however not all so be sure to do your research. Most now have their own software that needs regular updates like HUE lighting. However LED bulbs are 75% more efficient compared to the traditional incandescent lamps. They last longer, cheaper, and help reduce the carbon footprint, which is a great deal of contribution to the environment.

Regularly Clean Lint Filters

Did you know that a dirty lint filter runs longer and consumes twice the energy just to dry your clothes? Yes, it is true and it’s not the only filter you need to clean.

Your air conditioner also has filters that need regular cleaning and if you’re a regular user the units may need cleaning as much as once or twice a month.

Program Thermostat And Use Timers

For your air conditioner and other heating appliances the thermostat is every household owner’s best friend as it regulates the room temperature.

Programm thermostats so your heating and cooling source is in use when you need it and not using electricity when you’re not at home. Also, consider using timers on your other appliances to make use of off-peak electricity rates. For example, your washing machine can run on overnight rates.

Use Commonsense

Only switch on appliances when they are needed, and switch off lights when you vacate a room. Here are some specific examples of mixing it up so you use the weather conditions to your advantage.

1. Using your ceiling fan and adjust the thermostat just right enough to cool your living room.
2. Air-dry your clothes when it is sunny and enjoy doing the laundry without using your washing machine.
3. Put on blinds and drapes to block the sun and maintain the coolness of your room.
4. Opening your windows at night is a good idea as well to keep your room cool, and allow fresh air to come in.

Conserving energy as best as you can in the home, does take time and effort. Plus remember you’ll be in training for the first few weeks as you reprogram your brain to act in a different way to get maximum savings.

Takeaway

Admittedly, in our daily lives, we all depend on energy. Charging our phones, watching television, our air-conditioning units, and almost everything in our household are run by electricity. We are now in the era that depends on using power, and its high usage is equivalent to money. By all means, we need to save both factors.

Taking into consideration all possible tips and steps in making sure we conserve energy is beneficial. In doing so, you are doing yourself a favor by not spending your hard-earned money goes to paying your expensive electricity bills every month.