Complaints about the rising cost of electricity are on the increase and for those who are mindful of the savings that can be made and of the impact that our increasing use of electricity can have on the environment, household entrepreneurs can make easy changes to their habits to decrease their consumption of electricity and reduce their bill. If you live in states like Texas, for example, it’s fast, easy, and free to compare electricity rates from hundreds of different providers.
Below we talk about some of the easy ways to lower your electric bill.
It is worth speaking to your supplier to check that you are using their best possible tariff. They may ask that you pay using their favoured payment method or they may ask you to switch to an online account. If they can make savings then some of what they save can be passed to the consumer. It may be necessary to switch suppliers completely as often by switching, annual savings can be made. Watch out however for exit penalties as by leaving your supplier before the end of the fixed term, costs can be incurred.
Have a meter installed which will allow you to monitor your consumption. This will allow you to see the hotspots in the day when the electricity usage is at its highest. You will then be able to take steps to reduce what is happening at the time.
With busy households and the increase in the number of bathrooms, people like to take very long showers or regular hot baths. Long power showers use a lot of energy and by reducing the amount of time per shower and the flow rate of the water, savings can be made. An energy-efficient shower head is a cheap option worth pursuing.
Can you encourage everyone to switch off lights when they leave the room, what about fitting some dimmer switches and using low-energy light bulbs?
According to Neeeco’s Mass Save Energy Assessment, Electric heaters can be a problem and in winter they are often used as a top-up to heating already in the house. Bear in mind that they can be expensive to run and should therefore not be left on for extended periods of time. Is your house well enough insulated? Perhaps a lack of insulation is meaning that you need more heat than you otherwise might. That’s why insulating a metal building is always a smart choice if you want to save some money on your utilities.
In busy households, a tumble dryer is a favourite appliance. Clothes can be dried very quickly but it is also expensive! Make sure you are washing your clothes efficiently, at the lowest temperature possible and with the fullest load. Air dry and take advantage of the warmer weather to ditch the tumble dryer altogether.
Did you know that a full freezer is more energy-efficient than an empty one? The food provides insulation. Maintain your fridge freezer to keep it working efficiently and remember if it is an old model, it will no doubt be using a lot more electricity than some of the newer models that are now available.
Wash more dishes and make sure that your dishwasher is running on a full load.
Cook efficiently using glass and ceramic options, put a lid on your pots, and cook in large amounts. Defrost food before use to use less cooking time.
Remember that small savings every day add to larger savings over the year and can make a significant impact on your bill.
