Twelve Tips on Keeping Your Electric Bill Down At Home

Nobody knows what the future holds. That’s why it’s important to save money and cut costs way before you find yourself in a pickle. One great place to start is at home. Out of all the utilities in the house, electricity is perhaps the most energy-consuming especially now that technology is taking over the era. By making a few changes around the house, you can lower your electricity usage thereby cutting your electric bills by as much as half of what normally pay. Not only are you saving money but you’re also saving the environment by conserving energy. Here are a few tips you can follow to keep your electric bill down at home.
Tip #1: Go solar

Buying and installing solar panels can be quite the investment but it’s the most efficient way to lower your electricity bills. Although it may be pricey at first, you’ll be saving thousands of dollars throughout the course of the solar panel system’s lifetime. What you’ll save is definitely more than the initial investment required for those solar panels.
Tip #2: Lower your water heater’s thermostat

Most water heaters are set to 140°F by default. However, 120°F is enough to accommodate your hot water needs all year round. Depending on where you live, you can lower it further to save more energy. The more energy you save, the lower your electricity bills will be.
Tip #3: Block sunlight

Use some shades, blinds, or drapes to keep too much sunlight from flooding into your home. The sun will overheat your home indoors causing you to feel hotter and turn up the air-conditioner. It will also heat up your appliances, making them work harder than they should.
Tip #4: Insulate your water heater

Insulate your water heater to keep heat from escaping. Just by preventing this, you’ll see a huge return in your savings. After all, water heaters and fridges are the most energy-consuming devices in the house.




Tip #5: Switch to LED

There are numerous benefits you can gain from replacing your incandescent light bulbs with LED lights. LED has become incredibly cheaper since 2008 and it’s even more efficient. LED lights are low-cost, highly efficient, and green since it doesn’t contain any mercury.
Tip #6: Don’t use the oven unless necessary

You have other options like toaster oven, electric skillet, or microwave that are more energy-efficient than the oven. Usually (but not always), the smaller the appliance, the less energy used.
Tip #7: Use ceiling or electric fans

Air-conditioners are significantly more energy-consuming than ceiling or electric fans which use no more electricity than a standard light bulb.
Tip #8: Tune up air-conditioners and refrigerators

Clean the filter of your air-conditioners and the coils of your fridge to keep them running efficiently. Otherwise, they may use up more electricity than they should.
Tip #9: Unplug unused appliances and devices

Many people keep TVs, computers, gaming consoles, and more plugged in even when they are not in use. These appliances and devices can still use up electricity even though they are not in use and are simply plugged in. Just unplug them, including air-conditioners and heaters, especially if you’ll be gone for a couple of days.
Tip #10: Don’t use hot water unless necessary

There are various water-needing tasks around the house that does not necessarily require hot water. For instance, you can use cold water to wash dishes or to do your laundry.
Tip #11: Install dimmer switches

You can cut electricity costs by adjusting the light in a room according to the intensity you need. After all, you don’t always need the light bulb to be at full power. By having the option to dim it, you can save some energy.
Tip #12: Turn off the lights

One of the simplest yet most overlooked rule in saving energy apart from unplugging electronic devices is turning off lights. When you leave a room, turn off the lights since you won’t need it. In fact, limit light usage in the evenings when it’s most needed. You can rely on natural light in the morning.



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