40 Tips on How to Lower Your Electric Bill Fast

We are quick to realize the need of saving energy, just as soon as a huge electricity bill strikes our bank account like thunder. 

Jokes aside, as time progresses, we are slowly becoming aware of the negative consequences we inflict upon the environment by not saving electricity, Nevertheless, trying to save electricity isn’t only an eco-friendly step, but is also good for your pocket.

Usually, we end up paying a fortune due to the energy we keep wasting every day, knowingly or unknowingly and then find weird reasons to justify our mistakes. Well, no more, because we’re writing this guide to help you save money– the smart way!. 

Here are our top electricity-saving tips!

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How to Lower Your Electric Bill Fast

1. Install ceiling fans 

Ceiling fans are the traditional mechanical fans that consume comparatively less energy than air conditioning systems. Installing ceiling fans in your home can be an ideal choice when it comes to using appliances that consume less electricity. Ceiling fans will also ensure that sufficient air is being circulated inside your house, which will lead you to use the air conditioners less. 

The end result? Consequently lesser electricity bill amounts!

2. Maintain a completely packed freezer and fridge

Yes, keeping your fridge closed all the time saves a lot of electricity. But, it’s also a scientific fact that keeping food stacked in your fridge increases insulation. This way, your fridge will need to run for a comparatively lesser time to remain chilly, reducing the “heat” from your monthly budget.

3. Try getting an energy audit

Energy audits are a modern analytical survey conducted by professionals to discover sufficient ways a building could conserve electricity. Luckily, various utility firms are recently offering free-of-cost energy audits that you can make the most out of. Conducting an energy audit will bring up smart and unique ways of consuming less energy that you might not have thought of.

4. Installation of dimmer switches

A Dimmer switch is an underrated piece of technology that can be very useful in conserving energy. These switches efficiently help in adjusting the brightness levels of your interior, as per your preference. Switching to smart dimmer switches saves you from wasting energy that’s consumed by outdated bright bulbs.

5. Keep your blinds and curtains closed

Our houses are usually more heated when the weather is warmer than usual. It’s because the sun rays penetrate through the windows, increasing the temperature in our rooms. Keeping the curtains and blinds closed will keep the temperature cool, lessening the need of using the air conditioning too frequently.

6. Cut down on the phantom loads

You’d be surprised that around 75% of your electricity bill accounts for the energy wasted while your appliances are switched off. Also known as standby power, phantom load is the electricity wasted by an unused, yet plugged electric appliance. Make sure to unplug the appliances right after use, and you’ll surely be surprised by the savings.

7. Installation of attic fans

We’ve just discussed the benefits of ceiling fans. However, installing an attic fan in your home is also an alternative worth considering. This appliance helps a lot in exhausting the hot air out of your home.

8. Dry your laundry outside, in a line

Cut out on drying machines or room heating systems, and start drying your clothes the old-fashioned way. Organizing your clothes-drying line in your backyard is an effortless and energy-conserving option that you should consider. Not only do clothes maintain its quality by being dried outside,but it also lowers your electricity consumption.

9. Remember to change HVAC filters every month

Not sure if you know this, but a dirty filter hampers the efficiency of your HVAC system by a great deal. Regular change of filters can help you save a considerable amount of money in electric bills.

10. Ensure HVAC maintenance check-ups every year

An entirely dirty HVAC system can cost you a lot of money in the long run. Remember to schedule yearly HVAC system maintenance to make sure the system is clean and smooth. Moreover, a cleaner HVAC system means cleaner air for the rest of the year!

11. LEDs are a smart alternative

Do you have any idea about how much energy is wasted by the incandescent bulbs you’ve fitted in your living room? Surprisingly, you can cut down on 90% of the wastage by switching to LED bulbs.

12. Use your dishwasher’s heat dry feature a little less

Dishwashers usually consume a great deal of energy, but it doubles when we’re using its dry heat feature. If you opt for alternative ways of drying your dishes, you can cut down a lot of costs and ensure higher energy and financial savings.

13. Plant more trees around your house

Being a very important environment-friendly step, planting more trees around your house makes your surroundings comparatively cooler. As a result, you’ll be breathing a lot of fresh air and using your in-built air conditioning less. 

Do nature and your wallet a big favor, and plant more trees!

14. Keep the temperature of your water heater low

On an average, heating water consumes about 13% of your overall electricity consumption. You may consider setting the water-heating temperature around 130-135 degrees. Take a step further and equip the system with an insulation jacket. By doing this, you’ll be lowering 10-11% of your usual electric bill effortlessly.

15. Consider upgrading to advanced energy-star models

If your electric appliances are older than ten years or so, there’s no doubt that they’re using a lot more energy to function. However, various companies are launching advanced energy-star models that consume comparatively lesser energy. Your one-time investment on a much-needed upgrade can be beneficial if you’re looking to cut down on your electric bills.

16. Start cleaning your clothes in cold water

Did you know that heating water basically accounts for more than 89% of the overall energy consumed by your washing machine? It’s high time that you switch to doing your laundry in cold water. Not only will you be saving a great deal of energy, but your wallet will thank you as well.

17. Switch to low-flow shower-heads

Coming to your bathroom habits, you should consider switching to low-flow showerheads to cut a considerable amount from your electric bill. These showerheads prevent excessive water wastage by lowering the flow, which ultimately saves you from wasting excessive energy in heating more water.

18. Load your machines completely before washing

By now, we’re pretty familiar with the energy consumed by the washing machines and dishwashers in our houses, on an average. It’s a smart choice to lessen its use by only washing full loads, which is an easy way to save energy. 

19. Consider installing a programmable thermostat

Modern problems require modern solutions. Having said that, programmable thermostats are advanced electric appliances that adjusts room temperature as per your needs. This way, you save a lot of unnecessary energy while you’re at work or having a sweet nap.

20. Use more blankets during winter

Heating your room becomes a must when it’s freezing outside. However, instead of cranking up the thermostat,use a few more blankets to keep yourself warm. You’ll be saved from a huge amount you usually pay for room heating services, if you practice this regularly.

21. Enhance the insulation level of your residence

Not only does it save you from overusing the air conditioning system, but your family will now also be more safe inside. Analyze whether the insulation level of your house is normal with the help of professionals. 

22. Renovate your house with insulating paint

Popularly known as insulative paints, this coating is a product of advanced technology that is efficient at blocking heat radiation. If you’re willing to take the extra step, consider painting your house’s interior and exterior with one of these. 

Also, if you are having a hard time finding insulative paints, you can instead opt for ceramic additives and mix them with regular paint as an alternative.

23. Installation of weatherstripping

You may not notice, but there can be plenty of drafty gaps in your doors or windows. It’s always a smart option to opt for weatherstripping, which fills those loose gaps to keep your house unaffected by the weather.

24. Use your microwave more than your oven

We are normally accustomed to use the oven. Little do we know, the ovens consume a lot more energy to heat. As a smart alternative, microwaves usually take less electricity to get the job done efficiently. Make a smart difference in your cooking habits to cut down on excessive electric bills.

25. Don’t preheat your oven if not needed

Preheating the oven is an out-of-habit thing we do, even if it is not needed. Unless you’re cooking meat or similar foods, try not to waste a lot of energy by preheating your appliance.

26. Get a sediment-free water heater for more efficiency

Water heaters, as we already know by now, consume a great deal of energy. However, the gradual buildup of sediments reduce the appliance’s efficiency by a great deal. It is important to clear the sediment buildup at least twice a year to save a considerable amount of energy. 

27. Try cooking with the lid on 

If you start cooking with the lid on. you’ll be surprised to see how fast your food gets cooked. It’s mainly because the heat is captured by the lid with no route to escape.

28. Change your direct oven-to-fridge habits

If your food is still hot, wait till its cooled down. The hot food actually raises the temperature inside your fridge. This way, the machine consumes more energy to keep the interior extra-cool. 

29. If you have a second refrigerator, keep it in the basement

If your second fridge is stored in your garage, it’s natural that its extreme temperatures will cause your appliance to consume more energy to function. Try storing your second refrigerator somewhere with less fluctuating temperature levels. The basement is the best idea.

30. Avoid condensation in the fridge

If the interior of your fridge is frequently condensating, the machine will be needing more energy to maintain a low temperature. Just to avoid condensation inside the fridge, always cover the food before you store it. It’s a smart step that reduces the chances of hampering your fridge’s efficiency and paying for high electric bills at the same time.

31. Smart strips are your best friend

Smart strips are a very efficient tool that helps in restricting phantom energy consumption by the appliances that are not being used. The usual surge protectors are not much capable of lowering the phantom energy use of electric appliances, thus leading to a huge wastage. 

As a smart step to reducing bills, you can install smart strips to save energy when you are not using those products. 

32. Consider equipping a timer with your your water heater

An average water heater uses energy throughout the day, regardless of being needed or not. You can install a smart timer to set an automated on/off setting on your heater. By doing this, you’ll only be using as much water heating facility as needed, not more. On top of that, you’ll be amused to see an average 5-10% lowering in your bill.

33. Upgrade your usual night bulbs with LED lights

Did you know that using LED night bulbs can be as cheap as 25 cents, that too for a whole year? LED lights are bound to reduce the huge wastage of electricity, they are also very low-maintenance, and will last you longer than traditional lights.

34. Become a fan of solar energy

Its a very environment-friendly option to switch to solar energy sources to conserve energy. If you go for alternatives such as solar panels or solar lights, you’ll be able to harness the energy of the sun to a fair extent. By using solar energy, not only do you benefit the environment, but you can also lower your bills significantly. 

35. Practice switching off your oven a tad earlier

The interior of the oven is not instantly cooled down, right after we turn it off. There’s still a sufficient amount of built-up heat that can be useful in finishing your cooking process. Turn it off early and make the most out of that heat buildup.

36. Installation of storm doors

Have you heard of storm doors? These are very underrated, yet efficient devices to conserve a lot of wasted energy. If you’re searching for smart ideas to lower your electricity bills, you should try installing one of these in front of your main door.

37. Your refrigerator coils may need some cleaning

An unclean condenser coil generally minimizes the cooling efficiency of your fridge, leading it to use more energy to get the job done. Make sure that you are checking up on the coils at least once every three months. By developing this small habit, you will be paying less for both energy bills and refrigerator maintenance costs.

38. Make the most out of off-peak electricity charges

You’re one lucky consumer if your local electric supplier is supplying lower electricity rates during off-peak hours. Make the most out of it by scheduling your heavy energy-consuming tasks like heating water, dishwashing, laundry during these hours. If not, you may consider switching to a more efficient electric provider. 

39. Motion sensors

If you want to make sure that the lights in your house are not turned on when not needed, you should consider installing motion sensors. It may appear to be a little expensive as an idea, but it can lower your electricity bills by a great deal in the long run. 

40. Dryer balls are good

These balls are very efficient at reducing the drying time of clothes. Toss a few in the dryer along with the clothes to save some energy and lower your electricity bills.

Conclusion

By now, we hope that you’ve found a few smart tips that you can apply at your home to rid yourself of the high electric bills every month. Stay in touch with us to be updated with various such modern hacks to make your life easier.

Till next time!

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