7 Ways To Reduce Your Electricity Bills

Introduction

Energy has always been a valuable resource. Today, energy efficiency has assumed great importance for any appliance as well as any process. Electricity is a very common form of energy. Electricity bills form a significant portion of expenditure for a normal household. Saving energy is a practice that not only takes pressures of your wallet but also is a step towards cleaner, greener earth. Here are some easy ways to cut back on your electricity usage.

Unplug Electric Devices

This is a rather obvious way of reducing electricity usage. There is absolutely no reason to keep electric and electronic appliances plugged in while you are not using them. Phone and Laptop chargers, heating appliances draw large amounts of current, which places a significant load on the supply. Simple things like putting your computer o standby also help reduce your electricity consumption. You can save a dollar a month per appliance if you keep it unplugged when not in use.

Insulate The House

This is an extremely useful way of cutting energy costs. It is specifically effective in places that use powerful heating and cooling systems. Heating or airconditioning of any form accounts for nearly half of the energy consumption in a regular household. Insulating and air sealing the place prevent the leakage of conditioned air. This reduces the overall load on your air conditioner or heater. Special care must be taken to seal windows and attics as they are chief contributors to air leakage. This step can lead to significant savings on electricity costs.

Upgrade Light Bulbs

Halogen lights are a thing of the past. They consume large amounts of energy. Even the CFLs, rated as energy-saving, have been outdated by the LEDs. If you use halogens or CFLs, you should consider upgrading to LEDs. Even ‘Compact Fluorescents’ consume more energy than LEDs. Switching to LEDs is an investment, but you save more than 70% of the energy you use for lighting.

Change or Clean Air Filters Regularly

All air conditioning systems, that is your heaters, coolers and AC units all use air filters. These air filters must be regularly cleaned and replaced once in a while. A.C. systems suck in the air and deliver it through vents that have air filters. If the filters are clogged, it takes a larger amount of energy to pump the air. Regular maintenance of air filters is a good practice that allows you to save these hidden costs.

Upgrade All Appliances

Old models of appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, dryers, heaters are known to hog energy. They account for nearly 13% of the energy consumption. If you use such appliances, consider upgrading to newer models. New models are usually Energy Star rated. More the stars more is energy efficiency. You can save significant amounts by upgrading your appliances.

Wash Clothes With Cold Water

Washing laundry with cold water can save heating costs. There is a negligible difference in the results of the washing. According to studies, you save nearly 152 USD per year, just by switching to cold water.

Install Solar Panels

Installing solar panels is a significant investment. However, the technology is becoming cheaper day by day. Solar panels are used as water heaters. They have huge potential and can also be used for lighting and other applications. Solar panel installation can, on an average, cut 75% of your total costs. If you install comprehensive solutions, you can supply power back to the grid, resulting in negligible electric bills.

Conclusion

Energy crises, resources crunches, and other environmental problems are becoming more commonplace in today’s world. The rising prices of power points to this fact. Therefore, it is important to take measures to reduce electricity consumption. It helps out the planet as well as allows you to save on power expenses. The above suggestions, when implemented together can lead to large savings.