How to Save Money on Your Energy Bills
Many families pay hundreds of dollars every month on utility bills alone. Due to this costly—but necessary—nuisance, homeowners are always looking for ways to save money.
According to Energy Star, half of all the energy we use in our homes goes toward air conditioning, heating, and water. This information provides us three areas to focus on when it comes to reducing your monthly energy bills.
The following are several ways to lower your monthly utility bills:
- Schedule regular HVAC maintenance – When your air conditioning and heating systems are not running at peak efficiency, they require more power to fulfill the needs of your comfort, resulting in increased energy bills. Increase the efficiency of your HVAC units by having it inspected and cleaned at least once a year—depending on the number of occupants and pets you have in your home.
- Change your air filters – Dirty air filters clog free-flowing air, and make your HVAC system work harder than it should. If you rent an apartment, your maintenance staff should be doing this regularly for you.
- Use a programmable thermostat – Did you know that installing a programmable thermostat can save 10 percent off your utility bill? Instead of having to constantly keep tabs on your home’s temperature, whether you are in or out of the house, a programmable thermostat allows you to establish various temperature settings throughout the day. Additionally, you can control these setting through your phone or Wi-Fi.
- Run your dishwasher rather than handwashing – Handwashing your dishes uses more than nine times the amount of water than a dishwasher does to clean an entire load. That is an estimated 5,000 gallons of water you could be saving a year if you exclusively use your dishwasher.
- Make sure home is tightly sealed – Heating and cooling can escape through cracks and leaks from your doors and windows. Seal your doors and windows, and even the slightest gaps, with caulk or weather strips.
- Switch to LED lighting – LED light bulbs use 90 percent less energy compared to their incandescent counterparts. Also, they cost you over four times less. Switch out the most frequently used bulbs in your home, then you can replace the rest once they burn out.
If you need HVAC, plumbing, or electrical service in Ontario, contact All Pro Plumbing, Heating, Air & Electrical today.