It’s summertime, and even if you live in a fairly moderate climate, you’ll likely find that your electric bills will rise. Sometimes by quite a lot! After all, the a/c is running more frequently, more people in your household are home for longer stretches of time – including the kids, and you may be running extra things such as a pool heater or outdoor lighting in your backyard entertainment area.
But summer electric bills don’t have to be exorbitant! There are a number of steps you can take and things you can be aware of in order to keep the cost down a bit. It just takes a little discipline and the imparting of energy-saving knowledge to your family members as well. If everyone chips in, you can reduce that electric bill this summer.
Turn it off!
With everyone home because it’s summer – or because of the pandemic – it’s likely that some family members will forget to turn things off when they leave a room. So, check for that frequently and remind everyone that if they turn it on, turn it off! Lights, ceiling fans, and window unit air conditioners are often the culprits!
If you want to keep a room cool, turn off the a/c or ceiling fan and close the door. You’ll be amazed at how much that helps! Also consider putting in small lamps for reading instead of using overhead lighting. If those are left on, they won’t add much to your bill.
Use LED bulbs
Look around your home and make sure that you’ve substituted all your incandescent bulbs for LED bulbs. Not only do LED bulbs last up to 25 times longer than the old-fashioned incandescent types, but they consume a whopping 80 percent less energy! You can buy them at any home improvement store or order large packages online for even more savings.
How’s your thermostat?
Often, we’ll spend a lot of time playing with our thermostats. Is it too cold? Too hot? Unfortunately, those constant adjustments eat up more energy than you might realize. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep the thermostat at a consistent temperature that’s comfortable all day long. If you’re going to be away from the house for some time (more than a day or two), you can make adjustments then.
One of the best ways to reduce your electric bill is to install a “smart” thermostat. This device can make adjustments automatically so there’s no need for human hands to toy with it. Stapleton Electric can recommend the right smart thermostat for your home and install it quickly so that you can start saving now.
Fill appliances before running them
We tend to run our appliances, such as the dishwasher or washer and dryer, more often in the summer than we do at other times of the year. If you make a steadfast rule that you’re not going to run them unless they’re full, you’ll save money on both electric bills and water bills. Both dishwashers and washing machines are huge energy eaters, so plan accordingly!
Schedule an electrical check-up!
If you’ve tried your best to control your electrical usage and your bills are still high, let the experts at Stapleton stop by for a HomeSafe Inspection. It could be that your wiring is out of date or that there’s an issue with your outlets. Any number of problems could be occurring, but it might take an expert to find those issues.
This check-up will also verify that your electrical systems are safe and up-to-code and we can recommend any changes that should be made and offer you affordable pricing on any necessary repairs.
