As you probably know, it costs money to heat and cool your home. Extreme temperatures, whether they’re single digits in the winter or record-breaking heat in the summer, are making people more motivated than ever to find ways to cut their energy use.
Cost-savings measures
In 2014, the average U.S. house used 10,932 kilowatt-hours, or about 911 kWh per month. Translated into a language everyone understands, the average electric bill for a U.S. household was $114.09 a month, which adds up to $1,369.08 a year. And that’s not even including gas and water. Not only does lowering your energy usage make an economic difference for the household, but it also reduces your impact on the environment. It turns out that going “green” has two meanings: protecting our green planet as well as the green in your wallet.
Here are some ideas to lower your costs:
- Invest in a programmable thermostat. They cost less than $30 and automating temps can save you hundreds of dollars every year.
- Regularly change your furnace filters. Fresh filters capture dust, pollen and dirt before they reach your HVAC system. This ultimately helps improve the efficiency of the HVAC, which will help lower your electricity bill.
- Switch your washing machine’s cycle to cold. You can save up to $150 a year by doing so—and many experts say it doesn’t make your clothes any less clean.
- Skip the dryer. If it’s a warm, sunny day and you have a clothesline, there’s no reason to run the dryer.
- Unplug, unplug, unplug. Anything plugged into a wall uses electricity—even when it’s turned off. It’s a good idea to only plug in less frequently used devices when they’re actually in use. Before you go to bed, walk through your home and unplug any device that’s not in use in addition to turning off any lights.
- Read your meter. Periodically check your meter to make sure it matches up with what the electricity company is charging you.
Freedom Insurance Agency
(410) 795-2005
