15 Steps to Decrease Your Energy Bill

Saving money is important these days. Some things you can do without in your budget, but other things are a must have. Electricity is a necessity for almost everyone, and it may seem like you are a slave to your energy supplier. However, there are steps you can take to decrease your energy bill.

The first step to decreasing your energy bill is to unplug all unused appliances and chargers. These items will still use energy even when not in use.

This may seem like common sense, but turn off the lights when you leave a room. Many people, especially children, do not follow this simple rule of energy conservation. Turn off computers unless they are being used and use your dishwasher on energy saving mode.

Adjust your thermostat. Lower your thermostat in the winter and raise it in the summer. For every one degree you adjust your thermostat up in the summer or down in the winter, you will save two percent on your energy bill.

Wash and rinse your clothes in cold water. Eighty five percent of the energy consumed while doing laundry is on heating the water for the wash. Only ten percent of the energy is used to run the washing machine.

Make sure your washer and dryer are energy efficient machines. It is also a good idea to air dry your clothes whenever possible. You can buy portable air dry lines for the house or hang your clothes outside during the summer months for sweet smelling clothing.

Insulate the attic, wall and all crawl spaces in the home. This will prevent heat from escaping through the roof or through the walls.

Always make sure you have all drafty holes and spaces around the doors and windows sealed. This will prevent heat from escaping in the winter, and it will also prevent cold air from escaping in the summer.

Turn down your hot water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. This can save on your energy costs as it take less energy to heat water to a lower degree. Many homes have their hot water heater set on 150 degrees.

Change your light bulbs. Put fluorescent bulbs in all of your lamps. These bulbs use two third less energy than a standard incandescent bulb.

Keep your refrigerator in the shade. Refrigerators that are blasted by the suns rays or sitting next to a heat source will require more energy to cool the food inside.

Install solar power attic fans to blow off hot air. This will reduce the cooling costs in the summer. These attic fans require no electricity and are very easy to install.

Install motion sensors outside for security lights. This will decrease the need to have a light burning continuously.

Install a programmable thermostat to automatically adjust the temperature in your home when you leave for work, or while you are sleeping. This can save you as much as $150 a year.

Plant trees around the home where the sun strikes it most. By providing shade you can significantly reduce your summer cooling costs.

If you live in area that has abundant sunlight, consider installing solar panels for all of your electrical needs. By harnessing the power of the sun, you can cut your energy costs to almost nothing.