10 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill

10 Ways to Lower Your Electric Bill – Summer is officially here, and that means air conditioners are running and electric bills are soaring.  While it’s important to be able to stay cool during the summer months, it’s also nice if you can do it with having it cost an arm and a leg.

Lower Your Electric Bill

In this article we’ll discuss 10 ways to lower your electric bill.  Some of the methods may be no-brainers, but they are worth mentioning. Lowering electric bill will have some connection with the electric power used by your devices.

lower your electric bill

  1. Lower your electric bill by setting the thermostat at one temperature.  Don’t turn it up while you’re away, and then turn it back down when you get home.  This may seem like a good idea, but statistics show you will create up to a 3% change in energy costs with each degree you change on the thermostat.  You can lower your electric bill by simply leaving the thermostat alone.
  2. Clean the air filters in your home every month.  By keeping the filters dust free, you provide a free airway, which will lower your electric bill.
  3. Seal up windows and doors by using weather stripping and/or caulking.  This will cost very little money to do, but will help lower your electric bill and save you money.  You can also buy window and door draft protectors to keep cool air in and hot air out (vice versa for cold weather).
  4. Chances are you have gadgets plugged in around the home that aren’t in use.  Look around and see which of these things are generating heat, and unplug them when they’re not in use.  These items may include iPod charging stations, digital clocks, and so on. 
  5. If you have ceiling fans installed in your home, use them!  Ceiling fans are a wonderful way to lower your electric bill, circulate the air in your home, and keep you cool.  If you don’t have ceiling fans, consider purchasing them.  They may cost a little, but they will save you money in the long run.  Also, use box fans, oscillating fans, and so on to keep your home cool.
  6. This is one of those no-brainers mentioned earlier, but be sure to turn off lights when you leave a room.  Most adults are pretty good about this, but children…..not so much.  Encourage your children to do their part, and turn off lights, video games, DVD players, and so on when they are through using them.  This will help lower your electric bill, and will also reduce the heat they generate.
  7. When you leave curtains open, it increases the temperature in your home.  Keep all curtains and blinds closed during the day, so that your air conditioner won’t have to work as hard to keep your home cool.
  8. Have your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning unit serviced.  By scheduling a HVAC inspection, you will have to pay a fee of between $50.00 – $100.00, BUT it will help to lower your electric bill.  A certified technician will come to your home and make sure that your unit is in top working order.  Don’t wait till the peak of summer to schedule an inspection, as you’ll have a longer wait time.
  9. If you’re still using incandescent light bulbs, now’s the time to change them.  By replacing your current light bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs, you can save money.  Compact fluorescent light bulbs generate less heat, and will help lower your electric bill.
  10. Finally, you may be able to lower your electric bill by paying a visit to your local electric company.  Find out if your electric company offers a fixed bill plan.  This is a plan that will allow your electric company to bill you one flat amount each month of the year.  The amount you’ll pay is based on the average of your bills from the previous year.  Having a fixed bill plan will make budgeting your money easy, and may help to lower your electric bill during peak months.

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