How to reduce your Electricity bill at home? – The most practical guide

Scratching your head and wondering how to reduce your electricity bill at home? For most of us, the electricity bill is a headache, next to the House Mortgage you pay for the house, the electric bill is the second nightmare not to mention the kid’s college fees and tuition.    Yikes!!!  So we have to put on our thinking caps and think of ways and means of lessening the burden of heavy energy use in our home, but at the same time having all the comforts that we naturally seek.  So this will also help us keep our budget in check.  By reducing our high consumption of electricity it will be a great relief to most middle-income homeowners. Also saving some extra $$$$ could be invested in something else you and your kids wanted to do right?

What about taking that longed-for trip to Disneyland, I can hear the kids scream with delight.  It is estimated that an average home in America spends about 1,500% per annum on their electricity bill, so if you can save that money or something close to it, yeah your dream holiday will probably be a reality.

So, there are two ways of getting around this electricity bill.  Find the points that are sucking up all that energy from your house like a vampire!  Once that is eliminated you can start to plan what you need to really use and what should be eliminated.  For example, that beastly toaster sucks up to 875 watts while it is doing overtime in working to make a few crummy pieces of toast for your breakfast!  So think about zeroing this by switching it off, and unplugging it.

Energy conservation

Energy conservation means when you should avoid the use of all unnecessary energy such as switching off and unplugging electronics and electrical items when not in use.  Don’t use your electric heater at night.  Just open that cupboard and take out all the eiderdowns and blankets and bury yourself in them!  There now, you have saved from using the electric heater and electric blanket during the winter season.

Energy Efficiency

This means that you really must strive to improve your home in other ways, to lessen the energy levels to keep it comfy, and nice but at the same time save on the use of electrical items. So switch that heater off and maybe you could invest in a good energy-saving thermostat that will automatically adjust the temperature.  Go in for an HVAC unit.  This will consume less energy and it will maintain that same level of cosiness and comfort that you need in your home.  Going efficient will mean a lot more expensive, than conserving/saving, but in the long run, it will be worth every blooming penny you spend and don’t forget that the Real Estate value of your house will go up as well.  Win, win for all!!

However no worries, not all energy efficiency is beyond you, start off with changing that worrisome bulb in the living room with a CFL or LED bulb, now that is not much of a costly affair, is it?  Gradually you can move on to other things as well.  Slow and steady wins the race. If you are curious to know about 100 ways to save electricity-Let us save electricity! then read more!

How to reduce your Electricity bill at home?-Get an Energy Audit 

If your wattage usage is high, it would be best to get an energy audit done. This will help you to know where your high current points are, and according to these findings, you can adjust to the consumption of your electrical items.

Use dimmer switches

Switch over to dimmer switches. So you will just have enough light as to how and when you need to use it.   Change all your high wattage bulbs to lower LED and CFL bulbs.  This saves a lot of energy consumption, while also giving you sufficient light at a lower wattage.  Some of these bulbs may be expensive but worth it as it saves them $$$$!!!

Refrigerator

Keep your fridge full to the brim. Always see that there is enough and more stuff in your freezer and other compartments, to feed an army.  Believe it or not!  The more grocery stuff, frozen foods, and other edible stuff you have in that fridge the more it will save for you.  You will have actually saved your big bucks!  How come?  You ask.  Well, the more the fridge is full to its capacity it acts as extra protection of insulation and thus lessens the amount of time the fridge has to run to stay cool.

A fridge can use about 201kwh to 500kwh per year depending on the make and model of the fridge and its usage.  Lower this by keeping the coils clean.  Remember that dirty coils will make your fridge do overtime work!  Check for dirty coils every three months or so this will help it run smoothly and lengthen its life span too.

Ceiling fans

Fix some ceiling fans and don’t use air conditioners in every blessed room! An air conditioner can raise hell and Cain with bills going up.  Put up a clothesline out in the backyard when the sun is nice and hot, it will dry off your clothes in no time.   This will save you from using the dryer in the washing machine.

Computers and electronic items 

TV’s, Stereos, DVD players, Internet router, Game Consoles and kitchen appliances. Do not leave them on a stand, switch off everything when not in use.  These items can cost a shocking 75% of energy when they are left in their sockets.  Plug them all into different power strips then turn them off in between using them.  Have a ceiling fan installed up in the attic room or loft.  The fan will help fan off! All that hot air and pull in some cool air.

Instead of switching on the air conditioner, close all your drapes and blinds wherever too much sun comes in.  Buy some tinted glass or film and add on your windows.   This will give some good shade and protection from severe glare and prevent your house from being a furnace as more heat gets into your home.

Check that your HVAC system is in tip-top condition.  Has it regularly checked and cleaned?  This will give you cleaner air in your home.  Change the filter every 30 days; this will help your HVAC system running on peak efficiency.  Keep reminding yourself to do this.  Or ask Siri to remind you on your phone, in case you forget.

Change your bulbs to energy conserving bulbs which are 90% less than when using the ordinary incandescent bulbs.  Switch of the most used bulbs or replace them when they burn out.

Growing a lot of greenery and shady trees is not only energy efficient but will provide you shade from the scorching dog days of summer.  This way you won’t need to switch on the air conditioner.

Turn the switch to the off mode when using your dishwasher, just use cold water for washing up of your dishes.  Lots of energy is used for heating up of water.  Heating water is costly.  13% of electricity is consumed by heating up water.  Set your heater to 130-140 degrees this will lower the percentage dramatically.  Use an insulation cover for your heater this will save even more.  Also if you can insulate 6’ of the pipe leading to the heater with insulin.  You get a bonus point! For this.

If your Electricity department or Council offers off-peak cheap hours, grab it!  Take advantage of this offer and use it to wash your laundry, heat water, etc. during the cheap peak hour saving!  Score!

If your electrical appliances are more than ten years old, then it is time to put them into the backbencher! And buy some new energy-saving models.  These will consume less energy.

Wash all your laundry in cold water.  90% goes to heat water in your washing machine.  Turn the dial to cold and wash away your cares… both the washing machine and the dishwasher consume lots of energy.  Lessen this by using only full loads.  You can also ditch the dishwasher and wash all your dishes by hand and then dry them out.  However, this depends on the temperature of your water, during the winter season this might not be all that feasible as the water will be stone-cold to handle by hand, unless you use hot water, but then again it is back to square one on heating up water.  You be the judge of this!

The best way to save on electricity bills is to wear some comfortable clothing suitable for each season whether it be Spring, Summer Autumn or Winter, bundle up when its wintertime.  For spring and summer wear light cotton dresses with short sleeves and shorts.  Make the necessary adjustments according to the changing seasons and you will be just fine.  Just a few adjustments and tweaks in your household energy conservation here and there will enable you to save on running up on your electricity which in turn will lessen lots of unwanted stress and strain both on your pocket and mind.

Go now, and make a difference to yourself and the environment, but most of all make a change to your electricity bill.