Energy Savings
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7 Ways You Can Cut Down Your Electricity Usage
7 Ways You Can Cut Down Your Electricity Usage
The last thing you want is your electricity bill to be bigger than you expected. Sometimes it’s necessary to use more electricity than usual, especially if you use electricity to heat or cool your home. In that case, you’ll see more usage during the winter and summer months. But in some cases you can be using more electricity than you need without realizing it, and it can be hard to keep track. You don’t need to be monitoring your meter day and night, though. Here are some easy ways to make sure you have an energy efficient home.
1. Talk to your electricity supplier.
First, if there are multiple electricity suppliers in your area, make sure you’re using the one that offers the lowest. Whoever you’re using, electricity suppliers are usually ready to work with their customers. They don’t gain anything from customers who are unable to pay their bills. If you’re having trouble paying in the peaks of winter or summer, most electric companies will offer you a flat rate that stays the same each month. So you won’t be surprised by a significantly larger bill at the end of January. Also ask your provider about “off-peak times”. There may certain times of the day when less electricity is being used and you can get a cheaper rate. You can use this time for energy-heavy activities like cooking and washing clothes. This may require a special meter, which our Fallbrook electricians can help you install.
2. Make sure your biggest appliances are energy efficient.
Water heaters, washing machines, and refrigerators are probably the biggest energy users in your home. Making sure they’re as efficient as possible with the electricity they use can help you save tons each month. A tankless water heater is one easy way to get energy savings.
3. Install solar panels.
This option isn’t necessarily for everyone, but solar power is the best way to give your home a constantly renewable, natural source of energy. What you pay upfront for the panels and installation will be quickly offset by your savings. We have Fallbrook electricians who can supply and install solar panels for your home.
4. Use bright colors to paint your walls.
Lighting accounts for an average of 14% of most electric bills, so you can save a lot each month by using less. Brightly painted walls will reflect more light, allowing you to use less electricity and get the same amount of light.
5. Programmable thermostats.
A programmable thermostat allows you to set specific times to cool your home. So if everyone is out of the house for most of the day, you can set it to turn off while you’re gone and back on an hour or so before you plan on arriving. This way, your home is always the right temperature for you, and you won’t be wasting energy.
6. Replace traditional light bulbs with LED bulbs.
LED bulbs use less energy to produce the same amount of light as traditional light bulbs. And since lighting is such a large part of your energy usage, you can save a lot with this simple tip.
7. Turn off and unplug.
This may seem to be the simplest tip on the list, but people often leave televisions and other devices on throughout the day. And sometimes turning off isn’t enough. Many electrical cords will continue to suck up power just by being plugged in. So unplugging can put an end to a lot of energy wasting.
