How to Lower Home Electric Bill

How to Save Money on Your Electric Bill

Tips and Tricks for Homeowners

Has your electricity bill ever caught you off-guard? If you’re like most homeowners you’re probably looking for ways to save money on your utility bill. Here’s a few changes that we’ve identified to help you save up to a 25% in electricity costs, or for solar homeowners help you generate up to 25% more energy that may actually help you earn money this year.

Switch to LED

Replacing incandescent or CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) to LED is one of the easiest and fastest ways to save money. This is a great place that anyone can start from. Energy-saving lamps consume about 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and have a lifespan that is 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. This saves up to $35 in electricity bills over the life of each bulb.

Look for Energy Star

Energy Star products must meet energy efficiency guidelines established by the Department of Energy and EPA. Because of this, choosing energy-saving bulbs with the “Energy Star” label will maximize cost savings.

Energy Star LED Bulbs

According to ENERGY STAR, you can save about $60 per year by switching to energy-saving LED bulbs in the five most commonly used fixtures in your home.

Energy Star Appliances

You should look for the ENERGY STAR label at the time of buying appliances. This means that the device meets certain energy efficiency guidelines. The average household spends $2,000 on energy bills each year. Energy Star says that tagged appliances can reduce these bills by 30% and save about $600 a year. However, you don’t need to replace all your equipment to save money. Replacing an eight-year refrigerator with a new ENERGY STAR model alone can save $110 or more in electricity bills each year.

Use a Programmable Thermostat

One of the biggest expenses in the home is heating and cooling. It is a constant dance to balance comfort depending on outside temperatures. A programmable thermostat takes the guesswork out of indoor temperature control and consistency. With this thermostat, you can simply set the temperature based on the time of day your home temperature is regulated without interference This is a great way to help improve energy efficiency and cut electricity costs and is especially helpful during working and sleeping hours.

Swap AC for a Whole House Cooling Fan

Whole house cooling fans can cost up to 90% less than a traditional home air conditioning system. Whole house cooling fans work to create continuous airflow. This helps keep cool air circulating throughout the home for a more natural temperature regulation.

Stop Wasting Electricity

Data from the Department of Energy show that 75% of the electricity used in home electronics occurs at shutdown. These “energy vampires” draw electricity all day-making you spend $100 more a year. You should unplug the electronics or turn off the power strip to save electricity. Don’t worry about losing settings on your new computer and TV. They have a memory chip that resets everything when you reboot. If you have an old VCR or other devices that are still blinking when the power is off, keep it plugged in. Some power strips have several outlets that can always be energized even if you turn off the switch. This type of strip comes with the computer’s main power socket. When you turn off your computer, the protection strip also turns off other devices, such as printers, scanners, or modems.

Program Smart Switches

Motion sensors that automate lighting can reduce power consumption. This technology saves homeowners $100 per year on average. Some motion sensors need to be turned on manually but will turn off automatically. These are perfect for bedrooms because they don’t turn on when you sleep. Some switches can even be installed in the junction box.

Use Smart Small Electronics

Did you know that you can purchase smart lamps with built-in motion sensors?  Use a timer to control the bathroom fan so that the fan will run for a preset amount of time to ventilate the room and then turn off automatically. You can set the length of time the fan runs. Make sure that the timer you buy is suitable not only for lighting but also for motors.

Optimize Electric Water Heating

If you only use electric water heaters at certain times of the day, you are wasting electricity to keep the water at a high temperature 24/7. To fix this, install an electronic timer switch. The timer is available for 120 volt and 240-volt heaters. Electric Water Heaters can be programmed on a daily or weekly schedule, so water is heated only when needed. The timer can save you $25 per year. To make your water heater more efficient, drain the water tank and rinse off the bottom sediment. Otherwise, you may heat a few inches of sediment before heating the water.

Service Your Air Conditioner

About half of the average house owner’s annual electricity expenditure about $1,000 goes to cooling and heating. Air conditioners placed in direct sunlight consume 10% more power. If you’re sitting in the sun, plant tall shrubs or shade trees nearby, but don’t close the equipment or block airflow. Place windows on the north side of the house or install awnings above it. Adjust windows or central air-conditioning for maximum efficiency. Every two to three years, call a professional to check electrical components and refrigerants. If your central air conditioner has been in use for more than 12 years, replacing it with an Energy Star model can reduce your cooling costs by 30% and save maintenance costs. The payback period for replacing a 12-year system is usually about 8 years. The efficiency level of air conditioners is measured by the SEER (seasonal energy efficiency ratio). The higher the number, the higher the unit efficiency. A SEER rating of 13 or 14 is very efficient.

Heating and Cooling

You should check the seals on doors, appliances, and windows. Make sure your refrigerator and freezer are well sealed to ensure that cold air enters. The same goes for windows and doors. Poor sealing can cause energy to infiltrate your wallet. You should adjust the temperature of the refrigerator according to basic needs. Set the refrigerator to 38 degrees and the freezer to 5 degrees. This keeps food fresh, but refrigerators and freezers don’t have to work hard to keep the temperature.

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