In summer, it can be a challenge to keep your utility bills low. This can become an actual horror when the summer comes with record-breaking temperatures that force your hand to crank the air conditioner up as high as it can go. All the same, there are things that you can do to save money on your utility bills in summer, and some of them are outlined below.
Service or Replace Your Air Conditioner
With every new season, it’s important to have the air conditioner serviced, or at the very least, change the filters. Doing this can enable the unit to run a lot more efficiently and therefore use less energy in the process. It’s easy to see how your air conditioner could be costing you a lot of money when you consider the fact that 5% of all the electricity produced in America is for residential air conditioning. This adds up to a cost of over $11 billion to homeowners. The more efficient and well-maintained your air conditioner is, the more money you can save while running it.
Turn Off and Unplug Unused Devices
It’s important to note that even devices that have been turned off but are still connected to power outlets may be using energy. To put a stop to this, unplug any devices that are no longer being used as they will remain on standby mode to enable them to be turned on by the remote control. You could alternatively get energy-saving power strips which will turn all the devices connected to them off when unplugged or turned off at a single source.
Have an Electrical Audit Done
If you are wondering about what the biggest consumer of energy in your house is, you may want to do an energy audit. Since most electricity companies will offer a free energy audit, it’s good to take advantage of it. They will give you recommendations at the end, and it’s a good idea to follow them so that you can enjoy more efficient use of energy in your home. They will examine your entire home, room by room, and then look at your electricity bills to find out if there’s a way for you to use less energy. Alternatively, follow the instructions on the United States Department of Energy website that can help you DIY an energy audit. In the United States, the average rate of electricity is 10.42 cents per kilowatt-hour, so it’s easy to understand that you will end up with a lower bill if you lower your consumption.
Use Your Appliances Efficiently
If you aren’t already doing so, start using your appliances more efficiently. This means running full loads in the dishwasher or the laundry machine to maximize efficiency. Running smaller loads will consume more energy and water, making the exercise a very unsustainable one if you keep it up for a long time. For laundry, you could also skip the dryer and air-dry your clothes instead. This will help you save a considerable amount of energy in your home.
Switch to LED Bulbs
Finally, since it’s summer and the sun is as bright as ever, you should use natural lighting as much as possible. For night-time and when you will no longer be able to do this, you should change your light bulbs to LEDs. These can last for up to 25,000 hours because of their low levels of heat, according to the NY Times. This is an easy enough project to do in a single afternoon and will save you money not just now but through all seasons.
These suggestions are easy and affordable enough to get done right away. You simply need to be intentional about making changes, and you will soon develop these energy-saving and more efficient habits, saving your money as well as the planet!
