Nobody likes having to pay high bills, but it’s not always easy to know how to get your bills lower. If your monthly energy costs are higher than you’d like, there may be steps you can take to make them more manageable. Here are the top tips for lowering your energy costs so you can keep more of your money in your bank account instead of the energy company’s.
Service Your HVAC System
Just because your home’s heating and cooling system is running and blowing hot or cold air doesn’t mean that it’s operating at its best. If your vents and ducts are dusty and dirty, that blocks the airflow and makes your unit work harder. The same thing happens when you have dirty filters. By cleaning your system and letting air flow more freely you raise efficiency and lower the amount of energy required to keep your home at comfortable temperatures. You should also be getting your unit serviced in accordance with the unit’s suggested maintenance schedule to identify any issues with the unit which can also harm efficiency and increase your energy usage.
Adjust Your Thermostat
Another way to significantly lower the energy usage of your heating and cooling system is to use a smart thermostat that you can adjust remotely, or a timed thermostat you can set to change automatically. One of the biggest wastes of energy in many homes is leaving climate control on during the day when everyone in the family is at work or school. By using a timed or smart thermostat to adjust your systems you can allow them to run less during the day, then still turn back on in time to have your home comfortable when the first person gets home.
Turn Off the Lights
Your home’s lights are another area where you can reduce your energy consumption and save money. The easiest way to lower your bills is to get in the habit of turning off the lights every time you leave the room for more than a brief period. This prevents wasteful energy usage when nobody is in the room to benefit from the light. Although leaving lights on may seem like a convenience, in short order you’ll get into the habit of turning them off whenever you leave.
Replace Your Inefficient Bulbs
Changing how often your lights are on isn’t the only way to make them more efficient. If you have old-fashioned incandescent light bulbs, there are more energy-efficient options available. While in the past some people had concerns about the brightness of energy-efficient bulbs, that’s no longer an issue, so you can get the same light you’re used to at a lower cost.
Windows
One of the biggest areas for temperature leaking is in your home’s windows. If you have an older home and haven’t purchased new windows, it is likely that your home is wasting significant energy as a result of your old windows. Upgrading to modern windows with a better energy rating means that your home does a better job of maintaining temperature, leading to less use from your heating and cooling system and lower energy bills.
Quit wasting money living in an inefficient home. Take the steps to make your home more efficient and reap the benefits today!