5 Easy Tips for Homeowners to Cut Their Energy Bills
It’s never pleasant to get your monthly energy bill. Prices constantly rise, and you probably find yourself paying more and more each year. But did you know that homeowners can take control and lower energy bills? It may not be realistic to cut costs in half, but by incorporating a few small changes you may be able to save yourself 10% or even more!
Take a look at these 5 tips to get lower energy bills.
- Put an end to the vampire draw.
Did you know that your appliances use electricity even when they’re not in use? That’s right, you’re paying for them to be plugged in 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! You can put a stop to this by unplugging small appliances when you’re not using them. For example, if you make a pot of coffee every morning, just plug in the coffee maker for an hour or so. Once you’ve finished using it, unplug it, along with the toaster and other small appliances that you won’t be using right away. - Get a smart energy strip.
There are various brands and models of advanced energy strips that serve multiple purposes. They act as an extension cord and surge protector, plus they block that vampire draw we mention above! This is a perfect solution for larger or more frequently used appliances – like TVs and computers – that you won’t want to unplug and plug back in on a daily basis. - Turn off the TV…
when no one’s watching it, of course! TV energy consumption can account for as much as 10% of a home’s electricity usage, so be careful about leaving it on all the time. If you feel like some background noise, try listening to the radio or an album you own. Teach your kids to turn off the TV and lights when they leave the family room and you’ll save a little extra, too! - Turn off the heat drying feature on your dishwasher.
Choose the air-dry setting on your dishwasher and you could cut your dishwasher’s energy usage by as much as half! If you’re nearby when the machine is done running, you can also open the door and pull the trays out to air dry. Make sure to run the dishwasher only when you have a full load and you may notice you’ll have lower energy bills as well. - Clean the lint trap in your dryer.
Built-up lint poses a fire hazard and blocks the flow of air through the filter. This blockage can force your dryer to work extra hard or for a longer period in order to get your load of laundry dry. You should clean the lint trap before each use to avoid a dangerous and costly build-up.
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