Awesome Ways to Reduce Utility Bills

CREATIVE WAYS TO LOWER YOUR UTILITY BILLS Nothing can send a homeowner's heart racing quite like opening your utility bill. All it takes is a few forgotten light switches or running faucets and suddenly you're sending the power company hundreds more than you expected. WellI, we're here with a few creative solutions that will help you save on all your energy bills! FILL 'ER UP A full house is an energy-efficient house. Keep your bills low by keeping these places packed tight. THE REFRIGERATOR THE LAUNDRY You waste 100 to 150 kWh a year Don't waste all that water on a few opening and closing your fridge; that's because every time you do, you let pairs of socks; wait until your hamper is full before you do a load! Running warm air in, and the compressor has your washing machine costs on to bring the temperature back down. average 68 cents per load. If you can But if you keep the fridge stocked, the cut your usage down by half, you can save hundreds every year. extra food will retain the cold, making for a quicker cooldown. THE DISHWASHER THE ENTIRE HOUSE The average dishwasher costs 46 cents Warm bodies make for a warm house. per load to run. But if you stack Next time it gets chilly, why not invite creatively, you can double your typical some friends over instead of cranking dish load and cut way down on your the heat way up? utility bills. TIMING IS EVERYTHING What's the best device in the house to help regulate your energy use? The clock! Pay attention to the time if you want to pay less on your bills. AVOID PEAK HOURS A lot of power companies offer discounts to people who run their appliances during off-peak hours. Try doing your laundry and dishes after sundown to save an average of 44% 0000000 on your electricity bill. PUT YOUR COMPUTER ON A SCHEDULE ZZZ Set your computer to shut down after 30 minutes of non-use. Leaving it running, even in sleep mode, can cost you big time! WAIT FOR THE RAIN If you water your lawn, why not try installing a rain sensor? It will regulate the amount of water your sprinklers use based on the amount of rain that's fallen recently. CLEAN SWEEP Do an energy sweep at the end of every day before you go to bed to make sure nothing has been accidentally left on. WATERED DOWN O Your water usage may be sinking your energy bills. Here are some ways to keep it light. SAVE BAVE $20 $23 AYEAR A YEAR 120° BAVE BAVE $23 $23 AYEAR A YEAR 20 DEGREES COOLER LOW-FLOW STAY COLD Most water heaters are set Install low-flow Save on your water to 140 degrees by default, shower and sink heating bills by always but if you lower it to 120 heads. They'll save washing your clothes in degrees, you'll save $20 a an average of $23 cold water (and year, and your water will a year per person showering in cold water still be hot enough for in your household. if you can take it). everyday use. BEWARE THE ENERGY SUCKERS Most modern appliances are energy efficient, but you may have a few lying around the house that use up a lot more power than you realize. If you accidentally leave them on, you could end up wasting a lot of money. Modern Video Game Systems LED Television Screens $36.80 A YEAR $6.72 A YEAR Plasma Television Screens Computers $132 A YEAR $631 A YEAR Connecting all of these devices to a single power strip will make turning them all off at once nice and simple! KEEP IT COOL - (OR HOT!) Don't go running to the thermostat every time the temperature changes. There are tons of creative, energy-efficent ways to regulate the temperature in your house! BLACK OR WHITE FAN SERVICE Believe it or not, the color of A few well-placed ceiling fans to your roof can dramatically affect circulate air on a muggy day are the perfect energy-saving alternative to a pricey air your heating bill. If you live in a warmer climate, a white roof will keep your house cooler. If you conditioner. live in a cooler climate, a black roof will absorb heat better! THROWING SHADE Use your window shades properly. Keep them open when it's warm and closed when it's chilly. SEAL IT UP Seal up all the places that heat might escape from your house. Fill in cracks, tighten up wall sockets and make sure your windows shut completely. They may seem small, but a lot of these tiny openings can seriously drain your heat. ADDITIONAL TIPS DUST Your fridge and heater work harder if their coils are dusty. Keep them clean! COOK EFFICIENTLY Use your stove and oven as little as possible. Cook with your toaster and microwave whenever possible. A WARM BED Instead of heating your whole house at night, just heat your bed with a heated mattress pad or some really warm bedding. faslet wal com SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.FATWALLET.COM/BLOG/LOWER-UTILITY-BILLS/