Do you relate to the feeling that you were handed the electricity bill this month, and the staggering figure made your heart pump faster? Well, most Americans feel the same way!
How much was your electricity bill last month? Whatever the number or reason is, you can always reduce your utility by following some smart hacks.
Cut down on your power cost with these thirteen clever hacks to save on your electricity bill.
1. Give Your Electricity Bills a Thorough Assessment
The first thing you need to do if you want to reduce your electricity bill is figure out why your utility bills cost so much. Why does the number go up in the first place, and where?
Take one of your electricity bills in hand and notice carefully. There are fixed charges for infrastructure, tax, etc. This amount you have to pay.
What you are looking for is the section called usage. You can see your monthly power use detailed on your statement. The section indicates how much power you actually used. This is where you can make a difference and save costs.
Be aware of the total energy consumption of all of your plugged-in devices. The rates charged by your electric provider are something else you should familiarize yourself with. Educate yourself about the terms of electric bills.
The cost per kilowatt-hour varies with the time of day. You should notice that every kilowatt-hour of power you consume results in a separate charge on your electric bill. So, point out the areas where you think you can reduce consumption.
2. Make Optimum Use of Sunlight
Solar panels collect sunlight and transform it into electricity. The panels’ semiconducting substance generates an electric current when exposed to sunlight.
One panel may produce between 200 and 350 watts of electricity when exposed to full sunshine. You can mount your solar panels on rooftops or any area that gets direct sunlight.
Opt for the best quality solar panel battery for your solar panel. It may cost you a few extra bucks. But this expenditure ends up being cost-effective in the long run.
Since sunlight is both abundant and cost-free, you may expect to save money on energy costs even after you’ve made your first investment.
3. Switch Your Lights
We all know switching off the lights rescues electricity bills. But do you know switching the lighting can also help?
Installing energy-efficient lights is one of the quickest ways to lower your energy bills. Fifteen percent of the energy used in a home goes to lighting. But the light bulb you choose can affect how much you spend on bills.
Incandescent light bulbs can only convert 5% of their power into light. CFLs were the first commercially accessible energy-saving light bulbs. These may last up to 10 times as long as regular bulbs while using much less energy.
LEDs are much more efficient since they are already at maximum brightness when switched on. Modern LED light bulbs last 15-25 times longer. These also have 75% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs.
4. Watch Out for Your Water Usage
When thinking about reducing the waste of water, the first scene that comes into our heads is switching off the tap while brushing our teeth. Or turning off the water heater. But there are more efficient ways to cut down on your water and electricity bills.
Try cutting your shower times in half. Water heating requires a lot of energy; it’s not cheap. You may save 2.5 gallons of water every shower if you take a one-minute reduction from your normal shower time. It can save money on your power bill.
Swap out your current shower with one that uses less water and electricity. Try to find a replacement showerhead with less flow rate. Water pressure is reduced in energy-saving shower heads without making you seem like you’re bathing beneath a leaking tap.
Lastly, lower the temperature of your water heater. The default temperature for most water heaters is 140°F. It is typically too high. Consider decreasing the water heater’s temperature to no more than 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This lowers the total energy output. It also minimizes the amount of money lost by keeping the water heated while it is on standby.
5. Be Awake at Night
You may think being awake at night cannot possibly save electricity; rather, you will need to flip some switches! But you may cut your power bill in half by using your appliances in the evening.
Utility providers often impose higher rates during the daytime while everyone is at work or school and utilizing their appliances. Discounts might be as high as 50 percent during non-peak times. Find out what the off-peak and peak rates are in your area by contacting your utility provider.
6. Reduce the Load of Your Refrigerator
Reduce your monthly bills by using your refrigerator as efficiently as possible. Start by maintaining a temperature of 37 degrees Fahrenheit in the refrigerator and zero degrees Fahrenheit in the freezer; much lower, and you’ll be wasting energy.
Leaving about three-quarters of the space in your refrigerator free is ideal. Keeping a refrigerator at a constant temperature requires less energy when it’s full, but you still need to leave some headroom.
Avoid storing goods on top of your refrigerator, as doing so could prevent steam from exiting and force the appliance to work harder than necessary. This can be avoided by regularly cleaning the coils at the rear of the fridge.
7. Automate Your Thermostat
One major consumer of energy is the house heating system. However, by making smart adjustments to your thermostat, you may save your monthly energy costs.
If you adjust your thermostat back to 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours a day, you may save up to 10% on your heating and cooling costs annually.
Spend money on a programmable thermostat. It will maintain the constant temperature that you set. The setting might end up saving you energy and time.
Having the programable thermostat in the appropriate location is also important. It may waste energy and cause temperature changes if it is put in direct sunlight in a completely dry area.
Instead, put it on an inner wall in the middle of the house, far from any heat sources like windows, doors, corridors, or the kitchen.
8. Apply Advanced Laundry Techniques
Doing laundry and producing electricity bills go hand in hand. Not anymore!
You can actually save costs while washing laundry.
Wait till your machine gets full of dirty clothes. This machine should only be used under full load. Washing a few clothes and socks on a full spin cycle will not help you save money on your power bill.
Since hot water is more expensive to use, try washing your clothing at a lower temperature. Washing in cold water saves a tonne of energy compared to doing it in warm water. And instead of using a dryer, try drying your clothing on a clothesline.
9. Try Insulating Your House
Thermostats and ACs are costly. If you do not want to spend a fortune on it, there are other ways. Using a few simple methods to reduce heat loss, you may keep your house warmer for longer and reduce your heating costs.
Uninsulated walls are responsible for around a third of a home’s heat loss and the roof for another quarter. You may significantly reduce your heating and cooling bills by insulating your household.
Start by sealing any gaps or holes in your windows or doors. Without enough insulation, heat may also be lost from water storage tanks and plumbing.
Spending money on a more well-insulated water tank will result in less frequent reheating of the water. It, in turn, will save utility costs.
10. Go Old School, Use a Fan
Let the air conditioner cool down every once in a while. You should try various means of cooling yourself first before resorting to using your air conditioner.
Keep the room dark by closing the blinds or drapes and shutting off the lights outside. To simulate a breeze, use an electric or ceiling fan. Remember to turn it off before leaving since it will not really cool the space.
11. Use Your Dryer Wisely
Rainy days might throw a wrench in your washing routine, but using the dryer all the time can add up in cost. You may save money on washing by hanging things to dry and only using the dryer when absolutely necessary.
Before placing clothing in the dryer, it is best to let them air dry or use the spin cycle on your washing machine to get rid of as much moisture as possible. It’s important to remember to clean the fiber filter on a regular basis so that the dryer can function properly.
12. Adjust The Filters
Your home’s heating system needs regular servicing in order to function properly. A dirty filter makes the furnace work harder to distribute air throughout the home. It also raises the risk of system failure. Every month or so, you should change the filter to assist the boiler in using less energy and save money.
13. Choose Energy Efficient Garments
Do you know you can style up while saving money on electricity? A great way to cut down on the amount of time you spend fiddling with the thermostat is to dress appropriately for the season.
This is especially true in the winter when keeping warm is a priority. And the summer when your body needs to be kept cool.
You may save a lot of money on your monthly power bill by purchasing a high-quality bathrobe or warm jumper to wear around the house during the winter months.
Bottom Line
We hope these clever hacks to save on your electricity bill will help you save some bucks on electricity. These tricks are easy to adapt and effective in the long run. Incorporate these ideas gradually into your life, and you will see a big difference in your electricity bills within a few months.
After all, if you are mindful of your electricity consumption, your bills will reduce automatically.
