A family’s monthly electricity bill will take up a large part of the budget. Here are several ways that energy consciousness will provide more financial freedom for your family.
Find a Better Deal
One of the easiest ways to save money on electricity is to shop around various electrical companies to find a better deal. Try an interesting search with your location in it, such as “affordable electric companies in Houston.”
Appliance Upgrades
Older appliances are almost always far less efficient than newer models. Although the initial cost of switching over to a more efficient appliance can be high, it is an investment that will ultimately save you money in the long run. To ensure you are purchasing appliances with the highest energy savings, consider looking into ones that are Energy Star-labelled. There are often tax breaks for households that make the switch to more energy-efficient appliances.
Strategic Use of Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fans can be used not only to cool down a home in the summer but they can be used to keep the indoors warm in the winter. When they are used properly, they can save a ton of money on heating and cooling.
In the summer, make sure the fan is running in a counterclockwise direction. Turn it clockwise in the winter; this will push warm air down into the occupied space.
Leak Control
If air is seeping through the cracks in your home, more power will have to be used in order to keep your home at a comfortable temperature. Look for places where warm or cold air can escape, such as window frames and holes where pipes exit your home. Simply use caulk or expanding foam from a hardware store to seal in these draining leaks.
More Efficient Light Bulbs
Using LED lighting is a great example of how spending more money at first can save your family a lot of cash in the end.
LED light bulbs use seventy-five percent less energy and last twenty-five times longer than incandescent lighting. Though the initial cost is higher, it literally pays off.
Eliminating Phantom Power
Phantom power is the energy that is used when your electronics are off but still plugged in. According to the Department of Energy, these energy vampires are responsible for about ten percent of your monthly utility bill!
Before you go to bed, you can save money by unplugging all your electronics. If this seems like too much of a hassle, you can keep all electronics in one area plugged into a power strip for easy unplugging.
Run Your Refrigerator For Less
Did you know that by itself, your refrigerator costs you more money on electricity than all of your other kitchen appliances combined?
Mark on your calendar to clean your refrigerator’s coils at least twice a year; this will improve efficiency by at least thirty percent.
Test refrigerator seals when you clean the coils by closing the door on a piece of paper. If this paper pulls out easily, then the seals on the door need to be replaced to keep air from escaping.
Keep in mind that your fridge will run more efficiently when it is full because less energy will be expended on air circulation to keep food cold. You can add buckets of water or bags of ice to take up extra space.