As temperatures rise in the summer months many consumers can expect to see a corresponding rise in their electric bills. If you are building a custom home it is wise to include energy conserving features such as premium windows, energy efficient appliances and great insulation into you design-build custom home to save money over the years. However, many consumers are looking for small changes that can make a big impact on the electric bill in the home they are currently living it. The following are four tips to lower you electric bill without spending a lot of money or time.
Leaks
Would you like to reduce your electric bill by up to twenty percent? Ronnie Kweller, the Spokeswoman for the Alliance to Save Energy, says that ensuring your house is properly sealed is one way to obtain those savings. The cool air in a home can slip out of leaks anywhere different building materials come together. Some places to check include doors, electrical sockets, windows and baseboards. If there are leaks they can usually be plugged using caulking or foam from the hardware store.
Fans
The harder an air conditioner has to work the more it is going to cost on the electric bill. Utilizing ceiling fans to circulate the air in the house reduces the work needed to be done by the air conditioner and can lower you electrical usage as a result. If your air conditioner has and internal fan, and many do, turning it to “auto” can also help. Another way to use fans is by positioning box fans in the windows on opposite sides of the house early in the morning to bring the cool morning air into the house. Be sure to position the fans so that the fans on one side of the house are pulling in the cool air and the fans on the other side are blowing the hot air of the house outside.
Unplug
Turning off an appliance like a television, clock or charger does not prevent it from continuing to use electricity. Digital photo frames, big screen TVs, and sound systems can continue to drain more electricity than most people realize even when they are turned off. Unplugging your appliances will prevent them from using electricity when they are not in use. If you don’t want to run around unplugging everything hook your appliances up to a surge protectors. The appliances will stop draining power when the switch is off on the surge protector.
Thermostats
Programmable electronic thermostats can have a significant effect on the electrical usage and therefore the monthly electric bill. Some people make the mistake of turning off the air conditioner before they leave the house. Unfortunately, this can have a less than desirable effect on the electric bill due to the amount of energy the air conditioner must then use to bring the house up to a comfortable level when it is turned back on. Just set it to lower the temperature when the house will be empty and bring the temperature up to a more comfortable by the time people will be back at the house.
These are just a few of many ways consumers can reduce their monthly electric bill without expending too much time or money. A high electric bill can cause stress and reduce consumer’s enjoyment of the summer months. Take advantage of these and other energy saving ideas to help make the summer months a breeze!