12 Things You Can Do to Drastically Reduce Your Electric Bill
Rising energy bills are in the news again.
Just this morning, our local news station posted an article on power company customers reporting increases in their monthly bills.
Unless you're okay with living off the grid, you need electricity. You can cut off cable. You can live without your smartphone. There are many things you can live without that will lower your monthly expenses. But for most of us, we need electricity.
Electricity is a necessity that we can't live without, but higher-than-normal electric bills are eating into the average homeowner's budget.
You may be at the mercy of the power company and its complicated formula rate plan, but there are some things you can do to reduce your power consumption.
Here are 12 energy-saving ideas.
1. Install a smart thermostat.
Installing a smart thermostat is not a new concept! But you will be surprised by how many homes do not follow through with this simple energy saver. Taking the initiative to install a digital thermostat is less likely if you are a tenant, as any additions to the house should be approved and potentially paid for by the landlord.
If you are a tenant, your power company may offer thermostat options. For instance, Entergy Solutions provides incentives for installing a smart thermostat in your home in our area. Make sure to approve the installation through your landlord.
Smart thermostats automatically adjust the temperature in your home according to your needs. Some thermostats can automatically learn your daily schedule and adjust the temperature in your home based on your habits. They adjust temperatures according to a schedule that shifts to energy-saving temperatures when you're asleep or away. But don't worry, if you're too warm or too cold, you can always override the automatic setting.
Others, like ecobee's SmartThermostat with voice control, use occupancy-sensing technology to "watch" for your motion (or lack of it) in a room and adjusts accordingly.
So how much energy can you expect to save with a smart thermostat? Nest did some studies to see what savings people achieved with their Learning Thermostat, comparing utility bills before and after installation.
They found savings of about 10 to 12 percent of heating usage and electric savings equal to about 15 percent of cooling usage in homes with central A/C. In an online forum, Nest users reported savings of $10 to $20 per month.
At that rate, you'd probably recoup the cost of a smart thermostat in less than two years (especially if your utility offers a rebate).
(According to data from an internal analysis in 2013, ecobee customers in the United States saved even more on their HVAC costs – up to 23 percent.)
When it comes down to it, your particular energy savings will depend on many things, like where you live, your daily routine, and what type of home you have. One of the most significant factors is how much energy you've used in the past.
So, if historically you've kept your HVAC system running all day and night, then introducing automatic setbacks using a smart thermostat will likely give significant savings.
On the other hand, if you don't run your HVAC system much at all – or if you've been super vigilant about adjusting your system manually – then you'll see much smaller savings.
But the extra benefits that you get with smart thermostats, like regular energy reports and remote access, might still make the switch worth it for you.
If you're unsure how to install one, call a local electrician and let them perform the thermostat installation service with a smile.
Even if you don't have a smart thermostat, a typical energy-saving setting is 78 degrees in the summer and 68 degrees in the winter while you are in your home. Therefore, if you are going to be away from your home for several hours during the summer and winter months (when temperatures are more extreme), try setting your thermostat 5 to 10 degrees higher during the summer months and 10 to 15 degrees cooler in the winter months. The energy that your conditioning unit does not use to heat and cool your home while you are away can equal tremendous savings.
2. Check seals on windows, doors, and appliances.
It’s important to check your doors and windows for leaks, openings, and broken seals. Over time, these openings appear in our homes and can go undetected, affecting our environment. The most profound effect is their contribution to a high electric bill.
Caulking, weatherstripping, or replacing seals on your windows and doors as necessary will keep cold air from coming in or hot air from escaping. This will keep you from spending unnecessary money and will improve the overall feel of your home.
Also, make sure your fridge and freezer are well sealed to keep the cold air where it belongs. A bad seal allows energy to seep out, draining your wallet in the process.
3. Fix leaky ductwork
Improve the efficiency of heating and cooling systems by repairing leaky heating, ventilation, and air conditioning ducts.
4. Unplug your unused appliances.
Phantom power, or standby power, is when electrical devices use energy even when not in use. Almost every electronic device that you plug in consumes electricity even after you have turned off the device. According to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL), the average home contains 40 products constantly drawing power. Individually, the electricity flowing to a TV that's been turned off or a coffeemaker programmed to brew in the morning is minimal. But together, these sleeping devices may account for as much as 10 percent of household energy use [source: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory].
Using power strips for computers, entertainment systems, and kitchen appliances can make it easy to turn on and off your daily-used electrical devices so that they are not sucking phantom power while they are not in use.
Other phantom power culprits include phone, computer, and personal device chargers. Remember to unplug your charger from the electrical outlet once your device is charged so that it does not continue to use energy. In addition, guest rooms tend to have numerous appliances such as televisions, entertainment centers, alarm clocks, and cordless phones that use phantom power and add cost to your electric bill.
5. Lower the temperature on your water heater.
This is a simple energy saver; set your water heater to 120 degrees. Lowering it to 120 degrees can reduce your water heating costs by up to 10%. Are you leaving town for a few days? Turn your water heater to the lowest setting to conserve energy usage.
Another helpful tip is to purchase a hot water jacket which will provide additional insulation to the water heating unit.
Finally, if your water heater is old, purchasing an Energy Star water heater with a high-efficiency rating is another cost-effective method of saving on your electricity bill.
6. Swap out your lightbulbs.
Save $75 per year by swapping out the bulbs in your five most-used light fixtures with compact fluorescent or LED bulbs that bear the Energy Star label. LED light bulbs use 90 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. They cost a bit more, but your energy savings will more than offset the cost of the new bulbs. To save even more, Sylvania has a 24-pack of 60-watt equivalent LED bulbs you can purchase on Amazon. They're available in soft white or daylight.
Start by switching out the most widely used bulbs in your home. Then, replace the rest as they burn out.
7. Use smart power strips
Some electronic gadgets never truly power off; instead, they sit in standby mode using a trickle of power that can add up over devices and time. These are usually — but not exclusively — items with a remote control because the remote sensor needs power while waiting for your input. Plug these electronics into a smart power strip, which you can set to automatically cut off the current when the devices aren't in use. Say goodbye to phantom energy use.
8. Line dry your laundry
Set up a clothesline in your backyard, and let Mother Nature dry your laundry. If this is not an option, consider hanging clothes on a drying rack or shower rod.
9. Turn off heat dry on your dishwasher
Most of the energy consumed by your dishwasher goes to heating water. Turn off the heat dry feature, and you will minimize the energy drain.
10. Wash laundry in cold water
The process of washing clothing involves a lot, and when it comes to energy, there are several ways to make it more efficient. One of the best methods for doing so involves adjusting the temperature of the water you use when washing your garments. To provide warm water to your washer, the water heater must work hard and use a considerable amount of electricity. This energy use can be lessened, however, by washing your clothes in cold water. It is still an effective means of cleaning your clothes, but it won't cost you as much to do so.
11. Replace your air filter monthly
As you go about doing your housekeeping, be sure to keep an eye on your air filter. The purpose of the air filter is to catch debris like dust, pollen, and lint and circulate the clean air throughout the cooling and heating system. This helps to keep the HVAC in proper working order, which is the key to energy-efficient central air and heating systems. The process of replacing your air filters also helps to ensure your system is working optimally, which utilizes less energy than a system with dirty filters. Dirty filters restrict airflow, causing the AC system to run longer and use more energy. Replacing your filters each month reduces the work your HVAC system has to do, in turn saving energy and lowering the amount you'll have to pay on your electric bill.
12. Install ceiling fans
Although you can't use ceiling fans in place of air conditioning in every home or geographical region, you can still take advantage of their ability to boost the reach of your main heating or cooling unit.
Ceiling fans are great at circulating both heat and cold, depending on what's needed at the time. There's a switch on the motor that will allow your fan to spin either clockwise or counterclockwise. When you need to circulate cold air, run the fan on high in a counterclockwise direction; when you need heat, run it clockwise on low to pull warm air away from the ceiling.
Just remember, fans cool the person, not the room. Fans cool by evaporating tiny beads of sweat on your skin. So, turn fans off when you leave the room.
All these tasks should add up to noticeable savings and don't require much time or money.
So, what are you going to do with all that extra money in your pocket?