Ways to Lower Electric Costs and the Jolt out of that Monthly Bill

The price of electricity continues its upward spiral. As a consumer, there are some things you can do to lower electricity costs. Springtime is the perfect time to implement some changes to your home.

10 ways to lower electricity costs

• Air conditioner maintenance – The perfect time to schedule annual service on your A/C is before you need its cooling. Contact your trusted HVAC professional.
• Reduce the temperature on your electric water heater – Lower the temperature manually, or install a timer to modulate the heating of the water. The factory setting for most heaters is 150 degrees; most homeowners can lower it to 120 degrees without noticing a difference.
• Refrigerator maintenance – Clean the coils at the bottom of the refrigerator twice a year for greater efficiency.
• Are the energy vampires bleeding your budget?  Electronics are quietly sucking energy as long as they’re plugged in. Lower electricity costs by plugging these items into a power strip and turning that off when you’re done.
• Change your air filter – Changing your air filter is one of the easiest and most effective tasks you can do. Check it every month and replace it or clean it as necessary.
• Buy Energy Star appliances – When you’re buying appliances, look for the Energy Star label, which is given to those products meeting strict energy standards.
• Replace “switches” with smarter ones – Motion sensors will turn off lights automatically when you leave the room.
• Purchase and use CFLs or LEDs – Compact fluorescent lights use less energy and last longer than incandescent bulbs. The LED light is the latest in lighting technology, and is the most energy efficient bulb on the market.
• Is “smart metering” right for you?  Check with your utility company to see if this type of electrical metering is offered. Your electrical costs are based upon the time of day that usage occurs.
• Use your clothes dryer at higher efficiency – Clean out the lint trap, and check that the venting pipe is clear to the outside of the house.

Implementing these ideas should lower electricity costs and lessen the pain of opening your energy bill each month.

For more information on how you can lower electricity costs in your home, contact the professionals at Stack Heating & Cooling. Our family-owned business has been taking care of the greater Cleveland area since 1976.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in Cleveland, Ohio about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).  For more information about lowering your electricity costs and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.

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