House appliances need electricity to run. During summer months, heat waves put the energy grid to a test. This increased burden on the grid comes to bite us through an increased utility bill. However, you can keep cool while also keeping your utility bill down during summer.
What Appliances Cost the Most on the Utility Bill
Some appliances cost more than others to keep running.
HVAC
Heating and cooling takes the biggest chunk of your energy usage. General Electric estimates that an average central air conditioner unit costs about $60 per month. That means you can easily pay $700 a year for your AC alone if you live in warmer climates.
Electric water heater
Moving on to the second most expensive appliance, water heaters are kept busy so you can enjoy your warm showers and bubble baths.
Refrigerator and freezer
The thing about refrigerators is that they never get to take a nap. A freezer unit uses an even higher wattage and therefore, contributes even more to your utility bill.
Clothes dryer
Although your dryer gets a lot of breaks, when it does run, it operates at 3,400 Watts.
Tips on Lowering Your Summer Utility Bill
There are many things you can do to beat the heat, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint.
Check up on your air conditioner
To make sure you AC functions efficiently, you need to make sure its filters are not clogged as they can increase the energy use by 15 percent. Clean them regularly to avoid a failure or even worse, a safety hazard.
Use fans
Fans use roughly 1/60th the energy of an air conditioner and they can save you 40% on your electricity bill as they will help you cut on your AC needs. They might not cool the air as much but they pull the heat from the skin and they are a great complement to your air conditioner.
Compare providers
Make an apples to apples comparison to make sure you have the most affordable rate.
Spend more time outdoors
Leave being a couch potato for winter and go out to grab some sun and have fun. The less time you spend at home, the less energy you will use and every minute counts.
Unplug
To get rid of phantom loads, unplug your devices when they are not in use. According to The Spruce, a lifestyle network and website, 75% of the energy used by electronics (like your laptop, or your television) comes after they’ve been turned off.
Make your home greener
Get some plants. Planting greenery around your home is a great way to keep your home cooler as it provides shade which decreases the temperature. Even if you plant shrubs over your A/C unit, you will increase its efficiency by 10 percent. If you live in an apartment, you can still put greenery around your window to benefit from the magical power of shade.
Use electricity during off peak hours
Energy companies earn most money from hours when the demand is highest so schedule your use to off-peak hours.
Let cool air in and don’t let warm air in
If nights are cooler, open your windows to let that refreshing breeze in and allow the hot air to get out. Once the sun is out, pull your blinds down and keep your windows closed to keep the heat away.
LED light bulbs
Simply changing your light bulbs can actually save you up to $75 a year, according to NerdWallet. LED bulbs use up to 90% less energy than incandescent bulbs. They last 15 times longer and save more than $55 in electricity bills over their lifetime.
Takeaway – You can beat the heat and save money on energy bill at the same time. Sometimes the greatest solutions are the simplest ones.