Why is my Electric Bill High?
No one wants to spend more than they absolutely need to on their electric bill. Have you ever sat and wondered what you are actually paying for. It is your lucky day! We are going to break down why your electric bill is high and what you can do to lower the costs.
What uses the most electricity in your home?
Air conditioning and Heating are what uses the most electricity in your home. Almost half of your energy consumption is coming from your HVAC system. It is important to keep up with maintenance to ensure maximum efficiency. Make sure to call your local HVAC company to schedule tune-ups twice a year.
What else can you do to lower the cost that revolves around your HVAC unit?
- Use ceiling fans
- Use natural light in the winter and let the sun warm up your home
- Use extra blankets in the winter
- Do not block your vents
- Change your air filters every 3 months
- Clean your vents
- Get a programmable or smart thermostat
Should You Worry About Media Equipment?
Your television, electronic devices, gaming consoles… how much do they actually contribute to your electric bill? The easy answer is that media equipment takes up the least amount of energy consumption at around 5%. Do you have a television in a spare room that you do not use? Try unplugging it and see if there is a difference in your bills!
How Much does your Water Heater Contribute to your Electric Bill?
Your water heater contributes to on average 14% of your energy consumption. In order to cut costs on this portion of your bill here are some things you can do.
- Insulate hot water pipes
- Turn hot water down when you leave for long periods of time
- Turn your water temperature to 120 degrees or lower
- Switch out traditional shower heads and faucets to water-conserving
What can you do to Conserve energy with Appliances?
Collectively, your appliances can rack up a hefty electric bill. It may seem impossible to figure out how to cut these costs, but we have some tips for you!
- Do not overload your refrigerator
- Set your refrigerator and freezer to the manufacturers recommended temperature
- Clean the coils on your fridge. If they are dirty, your fridge could be working extra hard, leading to more energy consumption
- Let your dishes air dry
- Only wash full loads
- Do not open oven door when it is on
- Keep kitchen and fans turned off
- Use a toaster oven, toaster, crockpot or smaller appliance over the oven
- Wash full loads of laundry only
- Wash with cold water
- Clean the lint out after every single load
- Air dry clothes
Some of these may seem a bit inconvenient, but with consistency they could cut costs immensely, give it a try!
Turn off your lights!
I am sure you have always been told to “turn off the lights when you leave the room!” There is some truth in that statement. Other than turning the lights off, how else can you help lower the electric bill?
- Switch traditional lights to LED lights.
- Use natural lighting
- Put decorative lights on a timer
- Use motion detection lights for outdoors
- Use motion detection lights for bathrooms
We hope that this has helped you understand what actually contributes to your electric bill. If you want to start saving money, give B&W Plumbing, Heating, Cooling, Drains and Electrical a call at 317-243-3581 to get more information about our high-efficiency HVAC systems and electrical services we can provide to help you save on your energy consumption!
