A few simple tricks can make a big difference in your monthly electric bill.
- Use your curtains. Leave curtains open during the day in winter time, to allow sunlight to naturally warm your home. In the summer, keep curtains shut in rooms where sunlight hits.
Launder everything in cold water. 90% of the energy used by a top-loading washing machine is for heating water.
- Turn off lights and appliances at bedtime. The energy savings are worth the trouble. Skeptical? According to the energy calculators at MichaelBluejay.com, here’s what it costs per year to run each of these simple devices through the night –
- One compact fluorescent light bulb: $9
- One conventional light bulb: $21
- One big ceiling fan on high: $35
Think about the number of light bulbs in your home and you’ll see how the savings can add up.
- Invest in a programmable thermostat. Then, program it to automatically set the target temperature higher in warmer months and lower in the winter when you won’t be home. According to the EPA, you can save $180 per year with a properly programmed unit – not a bad deal, considering that programmable thermostats can now be found at your local hardware store for under $30.
- Insulate your hot water heater. Most hardware stores stock jackets or blankets that are made to fit around your water heater. Wrap up to conserve energy, especially if your water heater is more than seven years old.
- Install a low-flow showerhead. Did you know that older showerheads use up to seven gallons of water per minute? New, low-flow models use less than 2.5 gallons per minute, which means less water to heat.
- Replace older appliances with Energy Star models. We spend 20% of our electric bills running our appliances. Energy Star models use half as much energy as appliances made 15 years ago and 15% less than new non-Energy Star appliances.
Have you cut your electric bill? Please comment below and share the savings strategies that work for you!