Paying your monthly bills can be a drag, but there are some ways to make paying your electric bill a bit less painful.
Look at these tips to see where you could conserve your usage and learn how to reduce your energy bill.
Time of Day
One popular method of saving energy is to sign up for “Time of day” usage, which entails holding off on baking or using the washer and dryer until late night, or off-peak hours. You may find it helpful to get one of the Home Energy Audits Queensbury electricians offer as a baseline to gauge your usage.
Turn Off and Unplug
Small appliances draw electricity even when they are turned off. For more savings unplug all appliances – especially those used infrequently – when not in use. This not only saves electricity, but can also make your home safer.
Use Lower Wattage Bulbs
Reduce your wattage in lamps and light fixtures where possible. This may not apply to areas where reading or close work takes place, but is especially helpful for ambient lighting. Energy efficient light bulbs can produce more light with fewer watts.
Turn off Thermostats When on Vacation
Your thermostat will maintain even temperatures around the clock and does not know when you are away, so be sure to turn it down to 60º if you are gone for more than a day. Better yet, try a smart thermostat that can be controlled from your phone even when you are away.
Replace Filters
Furnace filters can get plugged up with dust and lint and can be much less efficient. Some furnace thermostats even have an indicator to remind you when to change your filter – be sure to do it.
Use Cold Water to Wash Clothes
Washing your laundry in cool or cold water can obviously save energy since you are not also working your water heater throughout your washer’s cycles. You may find it has the added bonus of keeping your colors brighter, as less fading occurs with cool water.
Caulk Around Windows and Doors
Just a little cold air coming in around the sides of a door or between windowpanes can cause your thermostat to trigger the furnace nearly twice as often. Caulking or using weather stripping can plug the holes, as can using a barrier behind your light switches and outlets.
Simply wearing a sweater when you are chilly or cooking for a few minutes in your microwave instead of baking in the oven for an hour can cut the amount of energy you use. Not only can these measures reduce your personal usage, they are also good for the planet. Now when you’ve learned how to reduce your energy bill, you can try them out and see how your bills are getting smaller!
