Simple Ways to Keep Your Energy Bill Within Budget

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You are already struggling to offset some of your bills like rent and other essentials, but then your energy bill keeps on rising after every month. Chances are you are thinking about what you can do to keep it within your budget.

Well, it does not have to cost you a lot of effort, money, or time. Even though you can take adverse measures like replacing windows to cut down your energy bill, you can also implement simple measures that do not require a lot of work.

If this is something you are looking forward to doing, then worry no more. We will discuss a couple of simple things you can do to keep your energy bill within budget. Here they are.

Maintain Your Heating and Cooling Systems Regularly

Did you know that your heating and cooling systems are responsible for a large chunk of your energy bill? Well, this is the best place for you to start. You need to make sure that these systems are working well without any issues.

One way of doing that is by consulting a residential HVAC service for regular maintenance. These experts will ensure that your systems do not have any issues and work well. They will even see some issues that you did not know that they existed.

You should also check the seals on your appliances, doors, and windows. For instance, is your freezer or fridge well sealed or do they lose cold air to the outside? What about your windows and doors? If they are not sealed well, they will lead to high energy bills.

Check Your Power and Lighting

Did you know that your electronics and lights consume a lot of power when they are left on? Why would you even leave your television, for instance, on when you are not watching? What about lights in your kitchen at night yet you are sleeping?

You also need to change your lightbulbs. Instead of using old lightbulbs, go shopping for modern LED or fluorescent bulbs. When buying these bulbs, look for an Energy Star label that tells you that they save energy. You can also add dimmer switches to change the brightness of your bulbs.

You might also have electronic devices that do not power off completely. Did you even know this? Well, using a smart power strip, you can disconnect the power supply to these devices when you are not using them. This will save you a lot of energy.

Be Careful with Hot Water Consumption

Hot water contributes a lot to your energy bill. According to the Department of Energy, water heating contributes about 20% to your energy bill. You should find ways of reducing hot water consumption in your dishwashers, laundry, and shower.

But how can you do that without compromising on your comfort? Well, start by taking a shorter time when taking a shower. Reducing your shower time by a minute or two cannot hurt you. You will even reduce your water bill in the process.

You should also look for a better shower head. If the one you have does not have a WaterSense label, then get rid of it. In addition, you should not be using hot water when doing your laundry. Not unless you have a medical issue, cold water can do a better job!

Keep Warm With Your Ceiling Fan

Have you ever used your ceiling fan during the winter? But what for? You do not want cold anyway. You always use it during summer to help you survive the heat. Well, did you know that you can also use it to circulate warm air in your house?

However, you need to change how the fan rotates. You can do that by reversing its motor and then testing to ensure that it has changed rotation to clockwise. In addition, set a slow speed for the fan.

Doing this will ensure that you have an updraft that will force warm air near and around the ceiling to come down toward you. This is one way of making your home eco-friendly.

Get a Programmable Thermostat

Should you be heating your home even when you are not around? Even if the answer is no, there are times you might forget and leave your heating systems on. This is something you would never have to worry about if you had a programmable thermostat.

You can set the thermostat to automatically control your heating systems and turn them off when you are not at home. This can save you a lot of money on energy bills.

Keeping your energy bills within your budget is not supposed to be difficult. All you need to do is implement the simple measures discussed in this article and you are good to go.