The current state of the economy combined with rising electric bills has just about everyone searching for efficient ways to control their expenses. We find that during the hot summer months here in Florida our power bill slowly creeps up. We try to keep on top of the situation by constantly monitoring our energy usage and evaluating where we can make changes to reduce our costs. Here are a few tips we’ve used to help reduce our monthly electric bill:
Make It A Habit To Turn Things Off We try to stay vigilant about turning off the lights when leaving a room and turning off the television when no one is watching. I’ve heard that an easy way to keep the lights off when not needed is by installing motion sensors and timers. These motion detectors turn lights on and if there is no motion for a certain period of time, then the lights will turn off. While we haven’t used this method, I think that it’s worth investigating, especially if you have a family with members who habitually forget to turn off the lights.
Using Power Strips and Unplugging Using a power strip and turning the power off at the strip will use less electricity. DVD players and computers, even in standby or sleep mode, still use a small amount of energy. Not only can using a power strip reduce your energy costs, but unplugging unused appliances can help too. Appliances that are turned off and still remain plugged in consume 75% of electricity usage.
Insulation, Caulking and Sealing Air Leaks Inexpensive and easy to do caulking and weather stripping all openings, seams, and cracks can help reduce the 10% of air loss from leaks. Sometimes referred to as “sealant,” caulk is one of the best ways to seal air leaks around windows and doors. Caulking comes in silicone (often said to be the better of the two) and acrylic latex. The differences between the two types of caulk are silicone cannot be painted while acrylic latex can be. Installing door sweeps at the bottom of doors can adjust the gaps, thereby helping cut down on air leaks.
Regular Filter Change Monthly change of the heating unit and air conditioner’s filters will conserve energy and keep the units from working harder, causing more wear and tear on the motor. Filters can trap dust, pollen and small particles which can cause concerns with irritants and allergies. We make a note on our family calendar to remind us to perform this monthly task.
Invest in a Programmable Thermostat A programmable thermostat, which can be set to lower in degrees while away from the home and in the evenings while asleep, offers a significant savings in the utility costs. A heat thermostat set to regulate the energy usage during the winter at 68 degrees while in the home, 65 degrees while away for a short time, and 58 degrees when away for more than 5 hours can make a great reduction in cost.
What are your best tips for keeping your energy expenses low?
Similar Posts:
- 5 Money Saving Tips
- Heating Your Home for Less
- Federal Energy Tax Credit and Other Benefits of Energy Efficient Windows
- 5 Ways to Lower Your Water Bill
- The Myth/Lie of “Government Job Creation”
