Are you concerned about the cost of your monthly utility bill? Here are three steps toward lowering your utility costs.
Upgrade your home
- Install a smart thermostat. A programmable thermostat allows you to adjust your home’s temperature based on your unique schedule. For example, program it to automatically lower your home’s temperature when you’re at work.
- Add new energy-efficient windows. There will be an upfront cost for this. However, you’ll see lower energy bills on a long-term basis because the air your HVAC system produces will remain inside your home where it belongs.
- Invest in added insulation for your attic or walls. Air can escape via your attic, walls or crawl space. Make sure each of these areas is adequately insulated and lower your utility bill in the process.
Conduct regular maintenance
Save money on utilities by making sure your home is correctly maintained.
- Investigate for leaks around the house. It’s possible for leaks to exist in your home without your knowledge. They could be behind walls or in your ceilings for quite some time before you see the signs. Inspect faucets, toilets and showers to look for signs of problems. Get small leaks fixed immediately because that loss of water adds up and is costly over time.
- Repair bad appliance parts periodically. You’ll notice a rise in utility bills as appliance efficiency drops. Inspect and replace bad parts on all appliances.
- Replace HVAC air filters every 30-90 days. If you allow these filters to become clogged with dirt and debris, then you’ll pay higher power bills as your HVAC system works overtime to perform its job.
Save electricity
Your utility bill will decrease if you’re focused on ways to use less electricity around the house.
- Use your fans and open windows during the summer. There are some times of the day when you definitely need to run the central AC unit. However, look for times when you can open the windows and allow natural wind to keep things cool. Set your thermostat to 78 degrees or higher and use ceiling fans to circulate cool air.
- Don’t use the microwave. You’ll use less electricity cooking in the oven or on the stove than when using the microwave.
- Adjust the temperature on your freezer and fridge. Set your refrigerator to 40 degrees or less. Set the freezer to zero degrees or less. These settings are optimal for proper appliance performance while lowering the power bill.
- Use appliances at the optimum time of day. Plan to use appliances such as your oven or stove at night. This lessens the heat generated during the day when your AC unit is already working hard to keep your home cool.
Use the above steps and watch your utility bill go down.