For an average American family, the utility bill is mostly over $100 a month. According to the U.S. Energy Department, about $1400 is spent on an average in household utilities yearly. And there could be nothing better if you could save some extra money on these bills. If you have been looking around to find ways that can help you to trim your utility expenditure, this article is just for you.
If you wish to have your electricity bill reduced, then it is a wise decision to go for CFL and LED bulbs. These two use very little energy and are good for the environment. You can also go for halogen incandescents that have capsules inside that hold gas around a filament to increase bulb luminescence.
Installing Solar Panel
Installing solar panels can help to cut your electricity consumption by a lot. The photovoltaic panels help to decrease the dependency on the main energy grid, which eventually brings down your utility bills. Also, according to the experts at Renewable Energy Corporation, solar panels produce more energy than what is required in a household. In such a circumstance, the extra energy produced can be sent back to the power grid. Some states allow selling the excess power to a utility company by net metering, which further helps to decrease the energy bill even more.
Changing Air Filters
Be it a furnace or an air-conditioner, they have filters that keep the dirt, dust, and other pollutants from being recycled again in the air circulation inside the house. In case there is clogging on the filter, then not only does it make it more difficult for the HVAC system to run smoothly, but also degrades the air quality inside your home. As per the Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America, it can be worse than outdoor air because of inhouse pollutants. Experts say that they should be changed every 60 to 90 days for maximum efficacy.
Open and Clear Air Vents
If the vents become blocked or closed, the air conditioner or the furnace has to work just that harder to distribute the air around your home. Therefore, to avoid that, it is better to ensure that all the vents are open properly. Also, you need to ensure that there is no large furniture or anything that obstructs the functioning of the vents so that they can do their work smoothly.
A programmable thermostat lets you set the times of the heating or the air conditioning as per your schedule. Such a function allows you to save a lot of energy. You can cut down to 10 percent of the total energy in a year just by turning your thermostat down from 7 degrees to 10 degrees from its normal setting for a third of the day.
The Last Word
Along with the aforementioned, you can further bring down your electricity bills by unplugging all the electrical appliances while not in use. On their own, all these may not look like a lot to help but together, they can really bring down your utility bills by a considerable amount.