As utility rates climb, making up a significant spend in most households, many Americans are looking for ways to save. There are several things you can do to lower your electric bill.

Heating and Cooling

This area makes up the biggest portion of energy consumed in an average home. This is the best area to start with when looking for ways to cut costs. 

Completing an energy audit is a great place to start. Most utility providers offer a home energy audit which can point to ways to save for your home specifically. 

Adjusting your thermostat is another easy way to save. By setting your thermostat down or up by 7-10 degrees when you're not at home, you can see a dramatic difference in monthly bills. Doing this for at least 8 hours per day can reduce your heating and cooling costs by around 10% annually. Look to your programmable thermostat's manual for how to set this up. 

Keeping up with maintenance is an often forgotten factor that could play into your appliances' efficiency. This includes things like regularly changing out your air filter and cleaning your refrigerator's coils. This will ensure your appliances are running smoothly and will keep doing so without issue. 

Water

Hot water is often towards the top of the list for energy spent in the average home. Cutting back on your hot water usage can dramatically impact your monthly bill. 

Start by checking the temperature set on your hot water heater. The default is 140 degrees. Lowering this to 120 degrees could reduce your energy costs. Take shorter showers to reduce the usage of the hot water overall. Every minute in the shower is roughly 2.5 gallons of water! Check on your showerhead, too, to see if you have an efficient one or if you could find a replacement to save on the water flow. 

Washing your clothes in warm or cold water will reduce your electric bill. This will also extend the life of your apparel and linens. 

Look for Energy Star rated appliances like washers, water heaters, dishwashers, etc. See more about Energy Star rated products here. 

Lighting and Power

Lighting makes up roughly 15% of a home's energy usage. A simple way to save is by switching your lighting to LED. Swapping these for incandescent and older light fixtures could save you around $225 per year. Look for products with the Energy Star label for the most efficient products available. 

Most electronics never truly shut down when they're plugged in. Instead, they sit in standby mode, which trickles out power as it sits unused. By plugging these devices into a power strip and turning off the power strip while not in use, you could save roughly $100 per year. 

Turning off the lights when you're not using them is another simple way to save! When leaving a room or going to bed, shut off all the lights and appliances for maximum savings.

Give us a call today to find out how we can help you upgrade your home to be more efficient!