If you’re like many homeowners, your electric bill takes up a significant portion of your monthly income. There are several steps you can take to reduce your energy usage that will take very little time and will have little or no impact on your day-to-day life.
Make Your Fridge More Efficient
Check the recommended temperatures for your refrigerator and freezer, and compare them to your current settings. You may be able to save money by raising the temperature settings a few degrees and still keep your food cold enough.
Another way to reduce the amount of energy your refrigerator uses is to keep it full. Food can act as insulation to help the refrigerator regulate its temperature and use less electricity.
Many homeowners don’t clean their refrigerator coils. When coils are covered with dirt and dust, the appliance can’t work efficiently. Cleaning your refrigerator’s coils regularly can help it use less energy and save you money.
Minimize Your Energy Usage When Washing Dishes and Clothes
Be strategic when it comes to running the dishwasher. Only run it when it’s full so you don’t waste electricity and water. If you run the dishwasher at night, a time when there isn’t peak demand, your electric company will likely charge you a lower rate than it would charge you during the day. These suggestions also apply to running your washer and dryer.
Your dryer’s exhaust vent can get clogged with lint. That can make the dryer run less efficiently, which means you may need to run it multiple times to get a load of laundry dry. Cleaning the dryer vent regularly can help you avoid wasting electricity and keep your utility bills low.
Hanging your clothes on a line to air dry is another simple way to reduce the amount of energy you use to do laundry. If hanging clothes on an outdoor line is not an option, you can use an indoor drying rack.
Save Energy on Lighting, Heating and Cooling
If you haven’t already done so, switch all the lightbulbs in your home to energy-efficient LEDs to lower your electricity bill immediately.
Control the amount of light and heat that enters your home. Keeping the blinds or curtains open during the day in the winter can naturally warm your home and reduce the amount you need to rely on both the furnace and artificial lighting. In the summer, closing the blinds or curtains during the hottest times of day can keep your home cool so you won’t have to rely on the air conditioner too much, saving you money in the long run.
Unplug Unused Appliances
A good deal of energy is wasted by keeping appliances, such as a coffee maker, plugged in when they’re not being used. Get in the habit of unplugging appliances when you finish using them and you may see a substantial drop in your electricity bill.
