If you just bought a new home and you were coming from an apartment, a townhome, or a rental home, you may be surprised to learn just how much more expensive the utility bills are in a house. But, there are a number of smart ways to adopt better habits and start living an eco-friendlier lifestyle without having to use candles when it’s dark.
Want to save the most money? You’ll need to cut back on your electricity! Here are some ways to start saving money on your electric bill.
First, Invest in Power Strips
There are a number of appliances that continue using energy, even when they’re not being used as long as they’re still plugged into an electrical outlet. These are what electricians call “vampire devices” because they suck energy day and night. Our advice is to invest in power strips and use them throughout your home.
What you do is plug as many devices as possible into power strips, which come with a switch. When you’re not using the devices plugged into the power strip, turn “off” the switch and the electricity will stop being wasted.
In addition to using power strips, do this:
- Buy energy-efficient light bulbs, or more specifically, compact fluorescent bulbs that last 10 times longer than regular bulbs and use about 75% of the energy.
- Pay close attention to the lighting. Add dimmer switches so you can adjust the brightness and install motion sensor lights outside that only turn on when someone is nearby. Both of these suggestions will help you save energy and money on your lighting costs.
- Make sure all of your kitchen and laundry room appliances are Energy Star because they are more energy-efficient than non-Energy Star appliances. For example, Energy Star refrigerators use about 9% less energy than standard refrigerators, so the savings can really add up after five years.
- Consider air drying your clothes, especially blouses, shirts, and dresses. By investing in a drying rack that you install in your laundry room, you can hang or lay out your clothes to air dry and this won’t only extend the life of your clothes, but it will help you conserve electricity.
Next: 4 Ways to Reduce My Energy Bill This Summer
As you can see, minor changes can add up to big savings in your electricity bill! For all of your residential and commercial electrical needs in the Greater Atlanta Area, contact Lightning Bug Electric today!