Saving resources is one of the sure ways of living a quality life. Many families in wealthy countries usually spend $200-$500 on utility expenses every month. During hard times like the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many families strive to pay these bills. These struggles are stressful for households. To avoid such misuse of cash on unavoidable expenses, SmileHVAC.ca has provided five best ways of minimizing utility bills at home.
Table of Contents
Ways to Reduce Utility Bills at Home
1. Conduct an Energy Audit and follow-up.
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It would be best to investigate your home to determine what ought to be done to reduce the utility bills. There is a need to eliminate unnecessary usage that one can do without. The audit involves identifying the air leaks, i.e., open space around the doors and windows, examining the house’s insulation system, counting the number of the light bulb wattages, and repairing the filters of the warming and cooling system. If a technical and challenging audit is needed, you should hire a professional energy auditor. One can also request the utility companies to send their technicians to your home for free because many such firms offer those services to their customers.
Furnaces account for more than 70% of energy bills in many homes. As a result, more seriousness should be demonstrated when dealing with air conditioners and heaters in the house. You should ensure that you buy quality furnaces. As a result, they will consume less electricity and stay long without depreciating. Furnaces should be frequently examined to ensure that they are working correctly. For instance, the burner flames should be even and blue. Defective furnaces can consume more power and raise electricity bills. Moreover, furnaces should be cleaned to boost their effectiveness. Efficient furnaces consume less energy, and this reduces power bills at home.
2. Installing a Digital Thermostat
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Research shows that the furnaces of the houses are linked to higher utility bills. To avoid wastage of energy, you can opt to purchase a digital thermostat from a home appliances store in the market. The device is averagely sold at $100, but, indeed, it will help you save more money than its cost. After buying, you can program your thermostat to ensure that it starts to warm the house one hour before you arrive. You should connect your thermostat to devices like air conditioners and heaters.
According to the Department of Energy, a home with this thermostat saves 10-15% of the energy bill every year. The thermostat is advantageous because it can be tailored to meet your schedules.
For instance, if you usually leave the house at 7 am to go to work, then the thermostat can be programmed to reduce the heat from 6 am. As a result, energy is conserved, and this reduces monthly bills.
You can also save your expenditure cash if you reduce the temperature when you use a heavy blanket to cover yourself while sleeping. One can also set the thermostat to adjust to a nighttime temperature during the night and a daytime temperature during the day.
3. Install Insulations Attics, Exterior Walls
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Research shows that improving insulation to attics and exterior walls can cut the heating/cooling system cost by 35%. Many companies are selling insulation materials and services in the market. These services are cheap in most countries. In other words, most of the homes’ attic can be insulated for less than one thousand dollars. However, installing insulation in the exterior walls is challenging, and this task is only done effectively by a professional.
According to Energy Star, 50% of the energy consumed in our houses is used by cooling and heating systems. Since hot air rises, open spaces on the upper part of the room should be closed and insulated. Many people claim that fiberglass insulation is not costly and can be easily installed. Bearing in mind that you can install fiberglass by yourself, you can save installation expenses. Studies observed that 20% of the cooling and heating costs could be protected solely by fiberglass insulation.
In case you are experiencing challenges on your way to install attic insulation, you can perform an online search to give you more tips.
4. Weatherstripping the Doors and Windows
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It would be best if you learned how to winterize your house by ensuring that your doors and windows are efficiently weatherstripped. As a result, utility bills are reduced effectively. During cold days, the weatherstripping on the doors and windows conserves warmth in your house. They also block drafts and lowers your heating expenses. Weatherstripping also helps to keep cold air in the room during hot days. As a result, cooling machines are rarely used. This is a natural way of saving energy bills on your homestead. It is also important to note that weatherstripping has to be repaired and replaced annually. As a result, you should check your weatherstripping every year. In case this system is warped or cracked, it should be replaced. As a result, utility bills are cut by the use of weatherstripping.
5. Use Smart Power Strips
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Leaking electricity is the amount of energy consumed by electronic devices when connected to electricity but not in use. Studies show that these activities cause the electricity bill to rise by 5-10%. Hence, avoid these activities.
To avoid these wastages of power, all devices that are not used should be unplugged from the power system. You can also opt to purchase smart power strips because they can switch off the electric current when the electronic gadget is not used. Installing intelligent power strips is not that costly because they can be purchase between $10-$15 per widget. As a result, electricity bills are reduced by about 5%. Moreover, some devices like fridges should be connected to optimal power. For instance, if the refrigerator does not contain many items that cannot smoothly go bad, then electricity can be regulated to ensure that the fridge consumes just enough power. The bulbs that are not used should be switched off. The monitors of the computers should be kept in sleeping mode to ensure that less energy is consumed. As a result, unnecessary power consumption will be avoided, decreasing electricity bills in your home.
In conclusion, when it comes to saving money on your utility bills, consider buying energy-efficient appliances. Also, remember that your conditioners and heaters are the primary sources of utility bills.
