29 Nov 6 Easy Ways to Lower Your Energy Bill This Winter
With winter fast approaching, many people are contemplating how to make energy bills more manageable in order to leave more money in the budget for holiday spending. Energy bills are a top expense for any household. However, you can lower your energy bill this winter, and this article will explain how.
1. Have Your Appliances Inspected
Does your oven heat evenly? How long does it take your oven to preheat? If it takes longer than a few minutes or if food is only being heated well on one side, then consider having an appliance technician inspect and repair it.
Not only can faulty ovens drain energy, they can also become fire hazards. If your appliances are a decade old, then consider upgrading to newer models that use less energy.
2. Automate Your Electronics
TVs, DVD players, stereos, computers, and other electronics continue to drain electricity from the outlets even when they’re turned off. Unplugging all of your electronics can be a tedious and unpopular chore. A solution to this problem is to plug all of your electronics into smart power strips.
You can automate this process by choosing ones that are programmable to turn off at certain times of the day or night. Alternately, you can choose smart power strips that contain motion detectors that automatically turn off when no one is in the room or current detectors that turn off when the appliance slips into sleep mode.
3. Keep Your Freezer Full
You’ll probably be doing a lot of grocery shopping for the holidays. Consider stocking up on freezer items. Your freezer’s energy is optimized when you pack it full of food. That’s because food helps to insulate your freezer and reduces the amount of time the refrigerator’s motor has to run to keep everything cool.
4. Use Energy Efficient Lighting
Are your bulbs energy efficient? Consider switching to LED bulbs which can last for decades and use 85 percent less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs. Start with the bulbs you use the most, and then work your way to eventually switching out all of the bulbs in your home.
Consider installing dimmer switches so that you use only the amount of light you need and to give you more control over the varying levels of light in the room. You can install motion detectors to automatically turn lights off in rooms when no one is occupying the room in order to conserve energy.
5. Eliminate Drafts Underneath Doors
If you feel drafts pouring in underneath doors or windows, then your HVAC system is having to work even harder to keep your house warm. Drafts are common in older houses. A quick and easy fix is to purchase a door snake to trap and keep the cold air out. In a pinch, a rolled up towel will also work.
Consider replacing windows with energy efficient ones, or at a minimum caulk around corners and edges to keep out drafts.
6. Maintain Your HVAC System
Have your HVAC system checked and serviced in the fall before winter begins, especially if your energy bills have been remarkably high. Change air filters monthly to improve efficiency.
Simply keeping your system clean by regularly rotating clean filters can save energy usage by up to 15 percent, and can help to prevent costly repairs. As an added bonus, you’ll enjoy cleaner air, which can help to keep you well this winter.
Contact Us
Tired of huge energy bills? On average, heating and cooling your home accounts for half of your energy usage. Investing in your HVAC system and making some small changes can help you begin to reduce your energy bills now.
Do you need your HVAC system inspected? Contact Eubanks Air Conditioning & Appliance Service today, and we’ll have a technician service your unit in order to get everything right for the winter.
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