| Helpful Hints for Lowering Your Electric Bill |
| Articles - Savings |
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With the summer heat coming to the majority of the United States, more and more people wonder what they can do to lower their electric bills. That said, here are the top tips we?ve found. Heating and Cooling
With the summer heat coming to the majority of the United States, more and more people wonder what they can do to lower their electric bills. That said, here are the top tips we?ve found. Heating and Cooling As startling as this is, remember that approximately half of the energy used in a home is for heating and cooling. Thus, taking care of these specific appliances in order to make sure that they do not suck up energy is highly important. Steps for doing so include changing the filter regularly, tuning up the equipment, and sealing and insulating the ducts. You also might look into a programmable thermostat that changes the temperature when the home is unoccupied or the occupants are asleep, for instance, thus reducing the energy used. Save money on appliances - The amount of appliances we have in our homes can be mind boggling sometimes. They are in every room of our house, and they come in all sizes and types. From major appliances such as your refrigerator, your washer and your dryer to smaller ones like your toaster, coffee maker and blender, you can save costs by purchasing energy saving units. They might cost a bit more upfront, but the savings will pile up from month to month with lower energy costs. Save money on water heating - Water heating accounts for a large percentage of every home's energy bill. But you don't have to start instituting a 5 minute shower rule to see savings in this area. You can buy an energy efficient water heater which will get the job done while eating up less resources. Lights - Just keeping the lights running in your house can cost you a lot of money, usually around 20% of your total energy costs. You should replace all of your standard light bulbs with more efficient CFLs, which are the spiral bulbs you see in stores. Not only do they use 75% less energy, but they last 10 times longer. This will result in big savings in terms of the purchase of new light bulbs and month to month energy costs. Don't forget to flick off the lights when you leave a room as well. Various appliances from TVs to even stoves and microwaves use digital displays that are in ?standby? power mode. When purchasing such items make sure of the energy rating that each is given, and opt for those that use less energy even in ?standby? mode! Office Equipment Save money on office equipment - If you have a lot of office equipment in your home, you can be adding lots of money to your electric bill. Think about it, you have computers, printers, faxes, shredders, scanners and other pieces of energy craving equipment. Buy energy efficient models and turn everything off when it isn't in use. Following these quick and easy suggestions will help you save hundreds of dollars in energy costs. DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. About the author: Jerry Dyess has been involved in the Texas Electricity market segment for the past 7 years. He has published many articles on Texas Electric rates. |