Home electric bills can quickly add up to thousands of dollars each year. If you are living on a budget, it’s tough to know how much to budget for electricity costs as they can vary based on the weather, outside temperature, and how well insulated your home is. If you are experiencing high energy costs, here are a few tips to help you lower your electric bill.
Assess your electricity usage
The first step in lowering electricity costs is to assess how much electricity your home uses. You can perform an energy audit to find solutions for saving on utility bills. You can hire a home energy assessment professional to analyze your home’s energy use. The home energy assessor will do a room-by-room inspection and identify problems and offer suggestions for remedying these problems. Some of the things the energy assessor will check for include air leaks around fixtures, the condition of fireplaces and lighting fixtures, the number and location of air registers in the home, and if the home is properly insulated.
If you prefer, you can do a DIY energy assessment of your home. Here are some tips from the U.S. Department of Energy on how to complete a DIY assessment.
Quick fixes that can help
There are a few easy steps you can take that can help with lowering electricity costs.
- Lowering your thermostat at night and raising it during the day can help save significantly on heating and cooling costs. You can also buy a programmable thermostat that will automatically adjust your thermostat to the most energy-efficient setting.
- Change out the filters for your HVAC system. Do this at least twice a year. This will help your HVAC unit operate at maximum efficiency and keep the air clean in your home to protect your family’s health.
- Turn off your lights when not in use. It may seem like a simple thing, but it is easy to forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room. This is a simple way to save on energy costs.
- Unplug unused appliances. Even if you don’t use appliances, leaving them plugged in can still use electricity. If there are appliances that you only use occasionally, leave them unplugged when not in use.
Upgrade to smart appliances
Energy-efficient appliances use less energy than traditional appliances. Look for appliances with the energy star seal to find appliances that are the most cost-effective and use less energy when operating. The Environmental Protection Agency offers a list of energy-efficient appliances to help customers save money on energy bills.
A home inspection can reveal deficiencies in your home systems that may be costing you money in electricity usage. Schedule a home inspection to identify problems and make sure your home is operating at its maximum energy efficiency level.