Electricity bills are among the highest household expenses. Moreover, the Seattle City Council increased the base rate of electricity by 4.5%.
Though everyone is trying to reduce electricity consumption and save some dollars, nobody knows how to approach the situation. If you feel the same way, this guide will share some effective tips!
Table of Contents
1. Check the windows for faults
Light a candle or incense stick near your closed windows to check for air drafts. Check whether the candle flame moves or the incense smoke flows in a particular direction – not the usual way. If that happens, your windows are drafty and must be replaced ASAP.
If you don’t want to replace an entire window, use caulk to fill in all gaps around non-movable parts, like the trim and frame. This works best if the gaps are less than a quarter of an inch.
2. Use proper curtains
Curtains can also help save electricity bills. During the winter, use filtering curtains to let sunlight into your space. The fresh sunlight will warm your house during the day, so you won’t have to use your heaters.
On the other hand, during scorching summers, use blackout curtains. These will block the strong sunlight that heats the air indoors. This prevents any strain on your cooling systems and reduces higher electricity consumption.
3. Install a heat pump
Heat pumps effectively transfer heat from your house to the outside during the summer and channel it inside during the winter.
Using a heat pump is a more efficient heating or cooling solution than other options. It can even save you about 20-40% on your year-round heating and cooling bills,
However, make sure you opt for a reputed expert in heat pump installation Seattle.
If you already have a heat pump, regularly perform maintenance checks by experts.
4. Switch to new bulbs
It’s known that 2 hours of incandescent light bulb usage a day leads to 12.2KWh electricity consumption per month and 43.8 KWh electricity consumption a year.
On the other hand, if you use an LED light bulb for the same period, you will consume 0.61KWh of electricity per month and 7.3KWh of electricity per year.
So, if you still have incandescent light bulbs and old light fixtures in your home, it’s time to switch to LEDs. This change will dramatically reduce your energy bills.
5. Install power strips and dimmer switches
Televisions, computers, and speakers never completely power off. Instead, they stay on standby and consume a small amount of power—about 5-10% of your entire bill.
This may seem quite small compared to your monthly bill. However, over the years, it’s been known to add up and consume up to $100 per year.
So, install a smart power strip on these electronics. This will cut off the current when you don’t use the device. It’s even better to go for one with a manual switch.
Another gadget is a dimmer, which lets you change the brightness of the lights. This not only lowers your electricity bill but also lets you relax.
6. Be more conscious about showers
A standard showerhead releases about 2.5 gallons of water in a minute. So, while it feels amazing to soak under warm running water, use the shower consciously to reduce your electricity bills.
For instance, wet your hair under the shower and turn it off while you shampoo and lather up your body. Switch it on to wash away your hair and body, and switch it off again.
Try to shorten your shower sessions by at least 2 minutes, and you’ll save 5 gallons of water. As a result, your water bills will also be lowered.
Alternatively, you can install a showerhead that produces 2 gallons or less water per minute, which will again reduce your warm water usage rate.
7. Make appropriate use of the dryer
When using the washing machine and dryer, ensure your loads are not too small or too big. A load too small will consume the standard energy, which is a waste. A too-big load will increase the drying time and consume more energy than necessary.
Check whether your dryer has a cool-down option. This helps dry the load with the remaining heat. Some people also swear by wool dryer balls to reduce drying time.
8. Change faulty or old appliances
If any appliance is more than ten years old or doesn’t work properly, it consumes more energy than usual. Replace it ASAP instead of getting it repaired.
Most people feel that monthly repairs will fix the issue and delay replacement. However, it causes severe electricity loss. So, go ahead and discard the old appliances. Ensure you buy new ones that have Energy Star ratings.
Conclusion
Start implementing a few of these tips right now and slowly embrace all of them. You will eventually notice a change in the energy consumption and save money!
