January 10 is National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, an observance that raises awareness of how homeowners and renters can reduce energy costs and improve energy efficiency. Energy bills are higher during the winter, so customers must be particularly mindful of the energy they use around this time of year. Identifying unnecessary energy usage can drastically reduce the cost of a consumer’s monthly electric bill. In honor of the national observance, here are some ways to lower your power bill, stay warm and save energy around the home:
Adjust the Thermostat
One of the easiest ways to save on your electric bill is to turn the thermostat down and bundle up with a cozy sweater and warm socks. A programmable thermostat can make it easy to keep your house at the recommended temperature of 68 degrees when you’re at home, while automatically adjusting the thermostat to turn down a few degrees when you leave or go
to sleep.
Lower Your Water Heating Costs
If you have an older tank located in an unheated area, wrapping it with a water heater insulation blanket is a cost-efficient and easy way to reduce water heating costs. You should also turn down the temperature of your water heater to the recommended setting of 120 degrees.
Find and Seal Air Leaks
Use caulk or weather stripping to seal drafty exterior doors and windows. If you can see light around your door threshold or feel cold air seeping through your windows, you’re losing energy and reducing the comfort level of your home. The best heating system in the world won’t help much if your house is drafty.
Open Your Curtains or Blinds
Take advantage of the sun’s heat to help warm your home without cranking up your thermostat. Open curtains or blinds on south-facing windows during the day and remember to close them at night to reduce the chill from the windows.
Maintain Your HVAC Unit
Change your air filters and schedule regular maintenance to help increase the efficiency and life of your furnace. This will keep your house warm while also saving energy. A dirty filter will slow air flow and make your system work harder.
If you are buying a new cooktop, go electric.
According to the U.S. Department of Energy, electric smooth cooktops have an efficiency of 74%. Typical gas cooktops only have 15.6% efficiency.
Turn off your monitor
If you are not going to use your computer for more than 2 hours, turn off your monitor and CPU. It takes a lot more energy to keep your computer running than it takes to start it.
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