6 Ways to Cut Energy Costs at Home this Summer

Wilf Potter

November 15, 2022
2:31 pm

Being More Energy Efficient This Summer

Saving energy and money are very important to people these days, especially during the summer when your AC is running your electric bill through the roof. Cutting costs at home can be extremely effective and also easy to implement. By making some small changes and being more conscious about the amount of power you’re using, you can save energy and money this summer.

INVEST IN NEWER APPLIANCES

Older appliances use much more energy than the newer ones. Look for appliances that have the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star label. Although these tend to be more expensive appliances, they use much less water and energy and will save you money in the long run through energy savings.

TRY USING LESS AC

In the summer it’s apparent that you’ll want to crank the AC all season to stay cool but this is extremely expensive and uses a lot of energy. Set your air conditioning temperature a few degrees higher, the smaller the difference between the indoor and outdoor temperatures, the less your bill will be. Using a fan while in a warmer room will help you to feel up to 5 degrees cooler and more comfortable while using less AC.

SWITCH YOUR LIGHT BULBS AND TURN THEM OFF WHEN NOT IN USE

Lights use about 10 percent of your homes energy. By switching to more environmentally friendly bulbs such as LEDs or CFLs, you can save up to 75 percent of this energy. It is also important to remember to turn off lights when you are not using them so that you are not using unnecessary energy.

UNPLUG ENERGY SOURCES WHEN NOT IN USE

By leaving a computer plugged in all day, you can be wasting about 21 cents per day. Unplugging a computer when you’re not using it can save you up to $75 a year. This goes for all your electrical devices; unplug your charger when your device is fully charged, don’t just turn off lamps but unplug them, and unplug anything that is not used often such as a DVD player or a stereo.

DO NOT PLACE LAMPS OR TVS NEAR AIR CONDITIONING THERMOSTAT

These create heat so by doing this, you are heating up the area near the thermostat making it think that it is warmer than it really is. This will make the air conditioner run longer than necessary which will waste energy and money.

CONSIDER INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS

This is becoming a more and more popular energy saving technique. The price of solar panels has recently decreased making it a more affordable option while also saving up to 30 percent on your electric bill. If the price is still a factor, there are options to rent solar panels which could be a more cost effective option to consider.

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