How to Reduce Your Electric Bill

Every month, we get a little envelope in the mail that literally makes us cringe when we have to open it. That envelope is the monthly electric bill. As the costs for utilities continue to skyrocket, consumers will definitely want to look for alternative ways to control their electric costs.

Controlling your electric bill is one of the easier tasks to do in your home, and in addition to lower bills, you will also notice your home to be much more comfortable by following these easy steps.

Instructions

1

Check your home's furnace ducts in each room. Make sure that there is nothing obstructing the vents such as long drapes or furniture. If something is blocking the air flow, it will take much more energy to heat or cool the home to temperature.

2

Replace your incandescent light bulbs with more energy efficient fluorescent bulbs. While you may initially have to pay out more for these bulbs, they drastically reduce your energy consumption (up to 75 percent) and they last much longer than regular bulbs.

3

Consider installing timers in your bathrooms. Many people walk away from the shower leaving the exhaust fan running for hours at a time. By installing a timer, the fan and/or lights will automatically turn off. This is highly recommended if you have a heat lamp in the bathroom.

4

Unplug your charging units when you are not using them. Studies show that when a cell phone charger is plugged in to the outlet, it continues to draw electricity even if the phone is not connected to it.

5

Check your windows for drafts. Clean and recaulk around the windows when you notice the old caulk beginning to wear.

You can also check receptacles located on the home's exterior walls. If you feel a slight draft coming through the outlet, you can purchase rubber weatherproofing seals to be installed between the wall and the outlet plate to seal it more effectively.

6

Make it a habit to routinely clean under your refrigerator, plus the coils on the backside. Accumulating dust will cause the compressor to work overtime!

7

If your air conditioning or furnace is over three years old, it should be inspected at the start of the heating or cooling season for efficiency.

8

Make sure the weatherstripping around your front door, as well as all of your exterior doors, is in good shape. If not, replace it.

9

You can save nearly $300 per year if you replace your current thermostat with a digital programmable thermostat (see link below). This will enable you to stop the air conditioning from turning on while you are at work or when nobody is home.

10

Remember, for every degree you lower your temperature in winter, or raise it in the summer, you will save two to three percent in your energy costs. Just changing the way you dress and altering the temperature a little can add up to big savings!

11

Turn off the "heated dry" cycle on your dishwasher and allow them to air dry. Not only will it reduce your energy use, but in the summer it will also help to keep your home cooler.

12

Help save your electricity bill in the summer by installing ceiling fans and cutting down on your air conditioning use.

13

When it comes time to replace any of your appliances, be sure to choose a replacement that is energy efficient. You can check the efficiency of the appliances by reading the EnergyGuide label on the front of the appliance (see link below).