November 17, 2021
Saving on utility, especially electric bills is in your best interest. When you reduce electricity usage, you minimize your out of pocket costs and contribute to making the planet more sustainable. Decreasing electricity use increases your quality of life. Factors that can contribute to and can affect the cost of your electricity bill are discussed below.
Your heating and air conditioning system operates on electricity. How much you use your HVAC system will impact your electric bill. As your HVAC system ages, it will slow down and have to work harder to maintain the temperature in your home. This leads to an increase in your power bill. A healthy HVAC system uses less energy to heat or cool your home. HVAC systems need regular maintenance to ensure they are functioning properly. Adding a programmable thermostat to your home will help the system run more efficiently and on a better schedule. This will keep your home at a comfortable temperature without overworking your HVAC
As technology develops, appliances become more eco-friendly. The oven, refrigerator, washing machine, and dishwasher use a lot of energy. Older appliances use even more because they were not designed with energy efficiency in mind. New appliances are more eco-friendly and energy efficient. They help regulate the amount of electricity they use to keep running. Long term, this decreases your home’s electric bills. Appliances that are energy efficient help you save money and energy, leading to a more sustainable environment.
On average, heating and cooling your home makes up more than half (54%) of your monthly utility bill. The quality of insulation you have greatly impacts the energy efficiency in your home. Poor insulation lets hot and cold air leak through. This makes your HVAC system work harder and longer to keep the home at the temperature you want. During extreme seasons like winter or summer, this problem is amplified. This will also increase your bill. To fight air leaks, check the insulation in various parts of your home. Consult with a professional on how to replace or reinforce your home’s insulation to decrease your electric bill.
A good roof protects the interior of the home from the external elements. The roof puts up with a considerable amount of damage throughout the year as it protects the house from weather factors. As a result, it slowly deteriorates over time. Many people are on a 10–20-year cycle of improving and possibly replacing their roof. Coupled with the push for energy efficient living, many homeowners are looking at roof replacement options. A roof with good insulation helps keep the home’s interior temperature steady which will protect it from external elements and be more energy efficient. Metal roofs last longer and offer safety that asphalt shingles don’t.
A home’s exterior deteriorates over time and risks the integrity of insulation. Yearly maintenance is required to keep water damage, mold, leaks, and other problems from getting out of control. Changing the siding on a home dramatically improves the home appearance, increases home value, increases energy efficiency, and fixes structural problems before they get worse. Ultimately, new siding protects your home from weather damage and insulates it, keeping your home a more consistent temperature year-round.
Installing solar panels on your home is not only energy efficient, but it can also be a great tax break for you. You can save an average of 30% of the solar system cost with deductions and credits. Solar panels also reduce your monthly bills and increase your properties value. Solar power systems also let you connect directly to the power you generate and control how much you use. For example, if your city has a blackout, you can keep energy flowing through your home with solar power. The cost of installing solar systems has significantly decreased, making the money and energy you save even more beneficial for current and future homeowners.
Old lighting systems use more electricity to illuminate a room. Incandescent lights are known to use high levels of energy to operate. Smart technology has made it possible to integrate smart lighting techniques and LED lights within a home. You can customize the light settings on your phone to turn off and on, sense movement, and adapt according to exterior lighting conditions. Not only will this save you from forgetting to turn off a light switch when you leave the house, but it will increase the utility and satisfaction within your home. Smart lighting is an energy efficient, cost saving measure that will increase your home’s selling price.
Windows and doors are the only moving piece of your home that should interact with the inside and outside. Energy efficient doors and windows play a crucial role in eliminating cold and hot spots in your home. Windows create a barrier from the outside elements sneaking into your home. With better materials used to produce, they are better at filtering light and temperatures. They keep your home better insulated.
Leaving windows and doors open can also significantly increase or decrease your electricity bill. Leaving a window open on a hot day defeats the purpose of your air conditioning system. At the same time, opening a window at night to let cool air in, can help improve the temperature regulation. Be diligent in closing windows and doors when the outside temperature does not match your internal temperature. If you want to use nature as a natural heat or cooling source, don’t forget to close them when done.
Transitioning to an energy efficient home will save you money and resources, long term. An energy efficient home will help you reduce your monthly electric bill and qualify you for tax breaks. Look at how you can improve the electricity use in your home by implementing some of the strategies discussed above.
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