How to Lower Your Home Utility Bills
We all want to be good citizens of planet earth. We would also love to stop paying out the nose on our utility bills. Here are some simple, practical ways to lower your utility costs that also help the environment.
Consume Less
We all love our creature comforts, but the best way to lower your utility bills is to lower your usage. First, turn your cooling up and your heating down a few degrees. It can be difficult to accustom yourself to a hotter house in the summer and a cooler house in the winter, but conditioning yourself to less heating and cooling really can save you money. Experts predict that you can save around 1-3% for each degree that you go up or down on your thermostat.
You can also lower your air conditioning use by programming your thermostat to kick in only during times when you are home, install a whole house fan, utilize your ceiling fans, use solar screens or shades, and more. Other ways to consume less are to wash your clothes less often, hang clothes to dry, minimize oven use, use more natural lighting, and include more hardscape in your landscaping.
Increase Your Home’s Efficiency
You can lower your home utility bills and make your home more efficient with just a few simple changes. One inexpensive and simple change is to replace your incandescent light bulbs with LEDs. Purchasing a houseful of LED light bulbs might feel pricey upfront, but they will save you money in the long run. You can also install low flow shower heads. You will save water without even noticing a difference. Additionally, your home will be more efficient if you change out your old appliances for new, energy efficient models. Appliances suck a lot of energy, but eco-friendly ones use far less.
Finally, electricity is cleaner than gas, as well as more efficient than gas for heating. Switching from a gas furnace to an electric heat pump is one way to save money long-term, especially if you have solar panels.
Go Solar
Even though installation is expensive, installing solar panels can save you a lot of money over time, especially if you live in a hot climate. You will instantly see a dramatic reduction in your electrical bills once your solar panels are installed. Solar energy is free, clean, and the environmentally responsible choice for all homeowners.
You don’t have to give yourself a heart attack every time you open a utility bill. There are easy ways to lower your home utility bills. Simply consume less, make your home more efficient, and incorporate natural energy sources.
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