Reducing Your Electricity Bill With These Simple Tips: Part 2
Last week we blogged about ways to reduce your electricity bill so you can save your cash, and eliminate wasted energy. There are so many things you can do around the house for reducing your electricity bill that we had to write another blog on it. When combining these simple tips and tricks, you can watch your electric bill go down, and the savings go up! Let’s check it out.
More Ways For Reducing Your Electricity Bill
We left off on our last blog at #7, which is eliminating the heated dry setting on your dishwasher, and letting your dishes manually air dry themselves. This saves energy because the most amount of energy used from the dishwasher is when the water is heated for the drying mechanism. On to number 8…
Install Energy Efficient Window Shades
When the sun beats down and comes in through your windows, your rooms are heating up, causing your air conditioner to constantly run. Even in the winter months, proper shading can insulate the windows, blocking the hot air from escaping. By installing blackout shades (also known as honeycomb or cellular shades), you can effectively keep warm air in during the winter, and block heat from the sun’s rays in the summer, allowing for energy savings all year round.
Install A Smart Thermostat Or A Programmable Thermostat
Reducing your electricity bill can be as simple as replacing your old thermostat with a smart thermostat, or a programmable thermostat.
A programmable thermostat allows you to program your temperature settings for your air conditioner and heating system during different times throughout the day. You can save energy and money by programming your thermostat when you are at work, on vacation, when you are sleeping, etc. According to energy.gov, a homeowner can save as much as 10% a year when setting back a thermostat 7-10 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 hours a day from its normal setting. Even more so for those living in a milder climate area.
A smart thermostat can work more efficiently than a programmable thermostat because it is able to learn your living behaviors, and does the programming by itself. According to Nest, the well known smart thermostat company, people who use a Nest can save up to 10-12% on average on heating costs, and 15% on cooling.
Smart thermostats like the Nest can be managed with a smartphone app, which gives you the freedom of programming on the go. It can even learn your heating and cooling system to show you how to make it more energy efficient. It can detect the weather outside, the humidity and draftiness conditions inside of your home, and so much more, making the smart thermostat a great investment for reducing your electricity bill and saving energy.
Upgrade To ENERGY STAR Appliances
When your old appliances need replacing, replace your outdated refrigerator, HVAC system, heater, dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, etc. with an ENERGY STAR rated appliance. These appliances use less energy…simple as that. We don’t mean replace EVERYTHING before it’s dead; however, replacing a refrigerator that is over 8-10 years old with a new ENERGY STAR fridge can save a lot on energy in the long run, regardless of the initial up-front cost.
Install Motion Sensors/Occupancy Wall Switch Sensors
Always forgetting to shut off the outside porch light during the day? How about the light on the side of your house near the garbage cans? Get those outdoor lights on motion sensors so you can start saving money! They will only go on when they sense movement, so they will only turn on when you are out there, and turn off when you aren’t.
Motion sensors aren’t just for the outside of your home. Occupancy sensors can be installed in any room of the home that makes the most sense. They are light switches with sensors that turn on when they detect movement in a room. Most common in commercial settings, occupancy sensors can also be installed in areas for task lighting in a home like over kitchen counters.
Install Electrical Outlet Sealers
Reducing your electricity bill can be as simple as insulating behind your electrical outlets and light switches. Heating and cooling loss can occur behind your electrical outlets and light switches. Simply install electrical outlet and light switch sealers behind the plates to reduce drafts and increase savings.
The Wrap Up
There are so many energy saving tips and tricks for reducing your electricity bill. These are just a handful of things you can do, as well as the 8 already mentioned in our part 1 blog.
As always, if you are in need of an electrician for exceptional installation of anything mentioned for electricity savings, call KB Electric LLC. We do it all, from installing your Nest smart thermostat, to the installation of ceiling fans and motion sensors. We are licensed and insured, and serve the following counties in PA: Montgomery County, Chester County, Delaware County, Bucks County, Philadelphia, and Berks County.
Sources:
energy.gov