Ways to Lower Your Electricity Bill

Lowering your electricity bill is beneficial year round, but it is extremely important over the summer. When the weather is hot, you start to notice a large increase in your power bill. This list of tips are things that can be accomplished easily without spending any money or making changes to your house. Take a look at these tips and see where you can cut costs.

• Raise the temperature on the thermostat a few degrees while you are gone during the day - You don’t want to raise it too high, as it will create more work to cool the house down when you get home, but by raising the temperature a few degrees while no one is in the house, you can save some money. Bonus points if you raise it even more if you are going on vacation to reduce the air conditioning costs while you are gone.
  
• Keep the lights off in the house to reduce the energy bill and the heat produced by the bulbs. If you can, switching to LED, energy efficient light bulbs throughout the house will help reduce your costs as well.
  
• Try cooking outside on the grill more - this will reduce the heat in the house and therefore reduce the work of the air conditioner, as well as, reduce the energy cost of running your stove or oven if they are electric.
  
• Wash your clothes in cold water instead of hot water to reduce the energy used to heat the water for your laundry.
  
• Replace your air filters - While this one may actually cost you some money, it will be worth it in the long run. Changing your air filters is a way to ensure your HVAC system is working effectively and efficiently.
  
• Seal around any cracks between doors and windows to ensure hot air is not coming in and cold air is not escaping.
  
• Turn off the heat dry function on your dishwasher - Allow your dishes to air dry or dry them with a dish towel.
  
• Keep your blinds or curtains closed during the summer. This can help cut down on the amount of sunlight coming into your home and heating it up.

Being mindful of the little things can help make a huge difference in the long run. Not only will it save you money, but it will allow for less strain on your appliances, HVAC system, and hot water heater. Let us know any electricity saving tips you use on a regular basis!