10 EASY WAYS TO LOWER YOUR ELECTRIC BILL

Is your electric bill getting out of control? Here are a few easy ways you can lower your electric bill without suffering. Your bank account and the environment will thank you!

1. Don’t cool an empty house. Use a programmable thermostat to cool your home only when you are there.
2. Soften the sun’s rays. Put heavy drapes and/or blinds on your windows and keep them closed during the day. This prevents the cooler inside air inside your home from being warmed through exposure to the sun. Also, plant trees and shrubbery around your home to help shade particularly sunny areas
3. Use fans strategically. Ceiling and floor fans can make a room feel cooler by up to 5 degrees. Don’t forget to turn off fans when you leave the room.
4. Make sure your air conditioner is the right size. Air conditioners remove both heat and humidity from the air. If the unit is too large, it will cool the room quickly, but only remove some of the humidity. This leaves the room with a damp, clammy feeling. If the unit is too small, it will have to work harder to cool your home. A properly sized unit will remove humidity effectively as it cools.
5. Replace traditional light bulbs with fluorescent bulbs. Not only do they use less energy, they last significantly longer. Plus, florescent bulbs produce less heat than their traditional counterparts.
6. Eliminate energy vampires. Unplug appliances and chargers for electric devices like cell phones, MP3 players, laptops and electric razors. According to the U.S. Energy Department, 25% of the power consumed by home electronics is consumed while they are turned off, but still plugged in.
7. Choose energy efficient appliances. When buying major appliances, make sure they have energy-efficient ratings from EnergyStar.
8. Seal your home. Check all windows and door jambs for leaks and ensure that they are properly sealed to prevent cool air from escaping and warm air from entering.
9. Wash strategically. Only run your dishwasher and washing machine when you have full loads. Also, wash clothing in cold water. Most clothes don’t need hot water to get clean. Using cold water reduces energy usage by not requiring heated water. For the dishwasher, consider turning off the heat dry setting and letting your dishes air dry.
10. Change filters regularly. Dirty air conditioning and clothes dryer filters cause the units to work harder than necessary. Also, clean the coils on your refrigerator.

See, we told you it could be easy to lower your electric bill! Once your savings start kicking in, pat yourself on the back for a job well done!