How to Save on Electricity
In the modern world of technology, we use more electricity than ever before. Most homes run on electrical appliances, whether you try to or not. The good news is that there are things you can do to limit how much power is used.
Our team of experts at Turner On Services wants to help save you as much money as possible on your electric bill. In some cases, upgrading or replacing your devices can help. We offer a number of services to get you started in the right direction.
Even if you don’t follow all of our suggestions, you still might be able to save something and every little bit helps. Keep reading to find out how you can save, or feel free to give us a call today!
Keep the Temperature Under Control
There are multiple topics that fall under temperature in the average household. The first area that you can limit your electricity usage is the thermostat. Whether you live alone and the outside weather is all over or your family argues over the perfect temperature, it can use a lot of power.
Constantly adjusting your thermostat can cause spikes in energy consumption every time the AC or heat kicks on. By using a programmable thermostat, you can set it to certain temperatures during the day to save money.
For example, if you work the 9-5 job and won’t be home, you can turn up the thermostat to 80 or higher to avoid coming on as much. Just program close to when you’ll come home and you can still walk through the door to a cool home.
If it’s cold outside, set the thermostat lower at night and have it start heating your house right before you get up in the morning. You can even opt for a smart thermostat that you can program directly from your phone.
Our team can recommend the best products if you need a thermostat you can program, whether you want a smart device or not. You could save 1% for every degree setting during a given 8-hour period, according to the Department of Energy.
It will also help to prevent your home from losing air. Any broken or loose seal on your doors or windows could leak air or let the outside temperatures in. This can cause you to use more power than necessary, so we’ll check for leaks or cracks during a professional inspection.
If you spot any leaks, the solution can be to replace the seal or use caulking to block it. There’s also the matter of your water heater. These appliances use more electricity than most things in your home, with only the HVAC unit using more power.
Part of the energy consumption comes from keeping the water in your tank warm for use. While you can have a tankless water heater installed, you might only reduce the power usage by $100 annually. It could also limit how much hot water you have access to.
The best option we’ve found is to lower the default temperature on your water heater by about 20 degrees. Setting your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit, you can save as much as 10% in electricity. You can also limit your shower time.
If you plan to be away for an extended period of time, you can turn the appliance off to prevent passive energy loss while you’re gone. All of these things can add up to real savings. If you have any questions or need to schedule an inspection, give us a call today!
Insulating is Key
You might be familiar with insulation for your home, but we’re also talking about your clothes. When it comes to your house, though, you can’t be too careful. Proper insulation can keep the cold out during Winter and prevent your heater from working overtime. In many cases, the insulation in your attic, flooring, or walls has worn down over time. This allows heat or cold to get in and ruin your comfort.
We’ve seen a lot of older homes, especially, have this problem. When homes were built 20 years ago, they didn’t have the same safety and insulation standards that we have now. Make sure to look around at your insulation, or have a professional like Turner On Services give you an inspection to make sure you’ve got effective insulation.
For a quick fix, you can put an extra layer of insulation around your pipes. This will help your water heater out when it’s cold outside and reduce the chances of freezing. Since that can lead to cracked or burst pipes, you can save even more on potential repair costs.
That brings us to you, because how you dress can affect your electricity usage. Instead of running your AC like there’s no tomorrow when it’s hot outside, wear as little as possible inside. Whatever you’re comfortable wearing, go with that to avoid touching the thermostat.
On the contrary, if it’s cold outside, bundle up or throw a blanket on. Since your AC and heater are responsible for the most energy use in your home, the less you can use it the better!
ask us about generator surge protection!
Functional HVAC
Over time, your AC and heater can get worn down and lose efficiency. While routine maintenance by our experts can keep things running smoothly, there are also minor things you can do. For starters, you can change out the air filter regularly.
As it cycles air through your vents, the filter in your HVAC unit can get dirty. Between dust, lint, and allergens like pollen, there are a lot of things that can gather on your filter. A clogged filter can leave your air supply at risk or worse.
It’s not hard to replace your air filter, but a lot of homeowners simply forget to do so. With a dirty filter, your AC unit uses more power, which means you end up paying more to stay cool. The good news is that air filters aren’t generally expensive and could save you a lot in the long run.
The best option is to replace it every month to 3 months, depending on if you have pets or serious allergies. If your HVAC unit needs to be repaired or replaced, or it’s been a while since your last inspection, we’re just a phone call away!
On that note, it’s important to keep appliances efficient in your home. As time goes by, they can lose efficiency and use more power to accomplish the same goal. Proper cleaning and maintenance will prevent this from being an issue, like:
- Empty the lint filter in your dryer regularly
- Clean the coils of your refrigerator
- Defrost freezers and refrigerators
Getting a professional inspection once a year is usually fine for most bigger appliances. Letting a minor issue go unfixed can lead to expensive problems, though. If it’s time to replace an appliance, we can recommend more efficient products to upgrade to, so call us today!
Timing is Everything
Knowing when to use your appliances can also save you money on electricity. When it’s hottest outside, you should avoid using your dryer or heavier appliances. This uses more power and, therefore, more money.
You can also continue to use a dryer while it’s warm to reduce the amount of electricity needed to get hot. The same idea goes toward dishes, where we suggest doing a full load instead of multiple small ones.
It might seem obvious, but make sure to turn off lights and fans in rooms that you’re not using. If you’re not using a device, unplug it. This goes for anything from the toaster and microwave to the printer and Xbox. All of these can passively lose energy.
If you really want to make the most of your appliances, you can set your washer to use cold water. Unless your clothes specify otherwise, cold water means less electricity use to get hot. Thanks to detergent, you don’t need heat to clean your clothes.
Save on Your Electric Bill
A big step you can take is to use a prepaid energy plan. With one of these plans, you pay up-front for electricity and put money into the account anytime it’s running out. This can also help with budgeting and financial planning.
You can also see how much electricity you’re using with these plans, so you can adjust what you’re doing on the fly. If you notice a large spike, keep track of what appliance was responsible. You might want to replace or upgrade it to avoid future costs.
While many electric plans can run a high rate for multiple years, a prepaid plan can be as short as every month or a year-long contract. The rate won’t change over this period and you only have to pay for your electricity usage.
They also don’t usually need a deposit or approval, so you can often find one that works for you. If you need help looking for an electric plan or want to take advantage of any of our numerous expert services, call Turner On Services today and get started!
By the way, if you happen to be interested in outdoor lighting services in Batavia or surrounding areas don’t hesitate to give us a call!
