10 Ways to Slash Your Energy Bill

It’s early February. Your energy bill is probably at its annual high. Do you want to get it back to its Spring/Fall cost? These 10 tips will help make a massive dent in your enery bill. All of the following tips are easy to implement. Some just take a little consistent willpower. Once they become a habit, however, you won’t really need the willpower.  You’ll enjoying saving money on your energy bill for years and years to come.

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1) Shut off lights when leaving a room (Turn off an incandescent bulb if gone more than 5 seconds, CFL more than 10 minutes)

Turning a light on and off will shorten the bulb’s life a tiny bit. That’s why the above times should be remembered. But typically, if you’re going to leave a room, flick off the switch when you leave. According to one homeowner in an article, he can earn the equivalent of a $50 hourly wage by turning off the lights before a weekend trip).

2) Unplug ‘vampire’ electronics

Vampire electronics are those that still suck energy even when shut off. It’s wasted standby power. Consider anything that may use standby power: TV, Blu-ray player, computer, printer, cell charger, etc.

3) Hang drying clothing (also good for humid air in winter in house)

Instead of using your power-hungry dryer so much, consider hang drying your clothing. You can buy a rack like this one. Hang drying doubly saves power in the winter because it puts moisture in the air. That moisture helps make the house feel warmer. It’s also good for your skin and respiratory system to get a little moisture into the dry winter air.

4) Turn HVAC off when not home

If you leave home, dial the temperature down to its minimum if you’ll be gone for longer than an hour. I usually turn mine down about 30 minutes before leaving. I don’t notice the house beginning to get cooler. Some people say that this is a myth because when you get home, the heater has to work twice as hard. But as with most systems, starting them uses a massive amount of energy. Having your heater run longer when you get home will save power over having to cycle your heater all day. Read more here.

5) Check insulation/windows

Putting insulation in your home can yield as much as a 3700% ROI! Adding insulation and replacing windows should definitely be done if you want to save money. Professionals over at Orlando Group Roofing and General Construction recommend that if your windows are leaking air that you get them replaced. You’ll make your money back on your investment with the energy you save.

6) Keep your garage door down

If you have an attached garage, put the door down when the car isn’t moving in or out of the garage. For most houses, the garage acts as an extra layer of insulation for the home. But if you leave the garage open, it’s no different than having nothing there.

7) Use timers

I can’t tell you how many houses I’ve gone past at 1AM that still have their outside lights on. And I’m talking about fantastic neighborhoods with extremely low crime rates. And the entire house is lit up! Consider using timers to shut off your lights after everyone usually gets home. Or, if you are worried about crime, use a timer that will turn on/off the lights at random times. Not only will it save power but it will make burglars believe people are home and awake.

8) Unplug electronics when fully charged

Don’t leave items plugged in when they are fully charged. As your cell phone probably reminds you, this is a waste of energy. And depending on the battery, it may shorten battery life. Just remember to go back and unplug an hour before it sits on the charger much longer than needed.

9) Sleep cold

So many people love sleeping in a cold room – so do it! Program your thermostat (yes, you should definitely have a programmable thermostat) so that when you go to bed, it’s starting to get cold. Then, have the HVAC turn back on before you wake up and take a shower. Unless you like showering in a cold room. If so, more power to you.

10) Leave!

If you’re not at home as often, you don’t have to heat your house as often! Adjusting your schedule like this may be a little extreme but if it doesn’t inconvenience you, then why not? Spend an extra hour at the office doing work you would otherwise be doing at home. Small things, done regularly, make a big difference.

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If you’d like more ideas, click on Google results for government websites. Since governments like citizens to save power, they publish some very trustworthy information on the topic.

How much money will you save this month by implementing these 10 tips?

 

-Will