According to a study by iPropertymanagement, the average monthly electric bill of a household countrywide is $117.46 for 893 kW h/month consumption. And yearly, ranging from $1409.52 for annual average usage of 10,716 kW h.
These figures illustrate that paying energy bills consumes a sizable amount of a person’s income. However, you do not have to spend a lot of money on these expenses. These tips can teach you how to save on your electric bill.
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Use LED lights
When it comes to saving power, LED lights are the best. They use about 20% of the power of your usual lighting system does. And so save about 80% of your lighting bills.
So, replace your power-consuming bulbs with energy-saving LED lights to lower your electric bills.
Repair and maintain your HVAC system
Almost half of a household’s utility bills spring from your HVAC system. So if you are to lower your electricity bills, this is a great place to start.
Routine maintenance and repair ensure that your heating and cooling system functions efficiently. Repairing leaky ducts and cleaning the air filters helps the HVAC system use less power to create a conducive atmosphere at home.
Close your windows and doors
Do you want to know more about how to keep your electric bill down? Another way to do so is by closing your doors and windows during winter and cold weather.
Heating and cooling systems do their work in vain if there is a way or gap that allows warm air to escape. When the air seeps out, the HVAC system must work harder to replace the escaping air.
To prevent high bills, ensure that the entry or exit points of air in your home are sufficiently shut. This will keep the warm air where it belongs.
Use a smart power strip
Some of your appliances never power off. They continue using a little power even when on standby mode. When you add up the power over time, you find that it contributes significantly to your electricity bill.
Wondering how to save on electric bills? An excellent way is by using smart power strips. When you plug your gadgets into a smart power strip, it automatically cuts off the power/current when the appliances are not in use.
Use natural light
Make use of daylight. Open your windows and doors to let light and fresh air into your home during the day. Doing this halves your light bills, reducing your monthly or annual electric bills.
Unplug your dormant gadgets
Various electronic devices passively absorb power. When totaled up, standby power accounts for about 10% of your household’s electricity bills.
So make it a habit to unplug any unused appliance. And while at it, switch off the sockets.
Lower your thermostat
Lowering a thermostat by 5 to 10 degrees for eight hours every day can help you lower your electric bills. You can do this by regularly adjusting your thermostat before work and bedtime.
Although the energy saved is minimal, it adds up over time to achieve significant results. Here are some ways to save power using your thermostat;
- Use smart thermostats to readjust your temperature when away from home automatically.
- Keep your thermostat summer settings as high as possible.
- Keep your thermostat winter settings as low as possible.
- Adjust your water heater settings.
Have an efficient refrigeration system
A loose or open door lets cold air escape, making the fridge motor work overtime to replace the cool escaping air. This process makes the fridge use more power to maintain the cold atmosphere inside the freezer, which increases electricity bills.
So, ensure that your fridge has a door with air-tight seals. This will keep the cold air in and the warm air out, lowering your electricity bills.
Another tip for how to lower your electric bill is simly to unplug your second fridge (if you have one). Running two fridges concurrently throughout the whole year spikes your utility bills. So, unplug one.
Reduce the heat in your kitchen
Kitchens are one of the leading heat producers in a home, more so in the summer. Your air conditioning system works overtime to create a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere indoors.
To lower your electricity bills, take some of your cooking out (barbecue), eat cold food (salads), and take some refreshments. This will reduce your cooling costs.
Efficiently do your laundry
Another wonderful technique how to save on your electric bill is to do laundry in the following ways:
- Wash laundry once a week. You can run one full laundry load a week. This will save on the power you could have used on your daily half or quarter loads.
- Use cold water. Switching from hot to cold water on full loads lowers your electricity usage on laundry, lowering your power costs.
- Dry your light clothes in the sun to save on the power that your dryer uses.
Use task lighting
Use only the light that you need. Turn off unnecessary lights.
Switch off the ceiling lights or general room lights and utilize task lighting. You can use table lamps, bedside lamps, and under-counter lights for work and the kitchen.
Turn off your air conditioner when not at home
Some people tend to leave their HVAC systems on even when away from home. Turn off your heating (in summer) and cooling systems (in winter) to lower your electric bills.
You can also turn off your AC during the day when you are at work. This will reduce your utility bills.
Reset your dishwasher
Deselect the heat-dry setting of your dishwasher. This will also save on your power.
Minimize the use of your oven
An oven uses a considerable amount of power compared to other kitchen equipment. To save up on your power, you can reduce its usage to twice a week by using other low-consuming appliances like the microwave and toaster oven.
Conclusion
You will definitely save money on your electric costs if you follow these power-saving tips. All of these methods together will drastically cut half of your annual electricity expenditures. Changing the settings on your water heater is another wonderful way to save money on your electric bill.
