Slash Your Electric Bill by 40%

By admin • January 22nd, 2009

It is 01/21/2009. We have just installed and sworn in President Obama as the 44th President of the United States. And at the same time the USA is going through one of the worst recession/depressions in the last several decades. We don’t know if we will have any credit, or a job at the end of 2009. There is much that is uncertain. To know that all you have to do is look at the U.S. stock market and see that it is going nowhere.

There is little direction, and there have been and will be massive layoffs in the future. Look at the scariest chart ever by seekingalpha.com So with all this gloom and doom what can you do? We can try to hang on to our jobs. We can try to stay networked so that if a job came up when and if we get laid off, we would have an opportunity of sorts. We can save our money. AND…

We can save money!

The energy bills that we generate are significant. And they are subject to growing at inopportune times. But there is GOOD NEWS! One is that we can save money by what we do around the house, or workplace. The second is where we buy our electricity, especially if we live in a de-regulated state. If you live in a de-regulated state, you can look up a good company to supply you with electricity. If you live in Texas or New York, you can check at  http://cheaptexaselectricrates.com You can easily cut your electric bill by 20% or more just by switching to a company offering better rates. Getting a year or more contract can even out the highs and lows of electricity cost.

Tips and tricks to saving money: Read this article about saving energy in your home

The next thing to do is think about how you use energy. Once people begin to realise that they save money every single time they flip a light switch off, they get into the act. This is where the other 20% can be saved. Although we don’t have any hard and fast numbers because well, people are different. Still, the main ideas here are the same.

In Winter:Thermostat should be set below 78 degrees. Every degree below that saves 2-3% of heating bills.

Space Heaters: Recommended are the infrared ones that don’t start fires

Think about how many rooms you really need to heat at night. Maybe it’s really only bedrooms. They represent a fraction of the total house space to heat. If you use space heaters to heat them, you will be much better off. Sunheat advertises their products to the public as safe. They state the product, “Cannot start a fire”. The product uses infrared and is powered by electricity.  The web address given is http://www.sunheat.com and the product is said to be able to heat up to 1,000 square feet and operates on less energy than a coffee maker.

Central Air, or Furnace

If you use your current central air/heat unit, make sure it has a high energy rating. Energystar.gov is helpful finding advice on energy-efficient products. Make sure you keep the units oiled every year, with filters cleaned or replaced on schedule. Sometimes you can close off the vents to rooms, but these days you could have a system that relies on all the vents and air ducts to be open. So you might want an expert to look at them.

Attic Insulation: Saving up to 20% or more of total energy bill

Make sure their is sufficient  insulation in the attic. It will pay to have a professional take a look. You can lose a ton of money on heating and cooling bills right here alone. So take the time to make sure it is right. A good 10-15% could be easily saved here alone. And the energy savings will continue long after you install the much needed insulation. Older homes have more of a track record of problems. But check your new home as well. If your electric bill is high, check your attic insulation first.

Water Heater: Savings 10-20% of water heating cost

The water heater is something that is often times over looked. First of all, I would insulate it. You can buy an insulating jacket that will cover the water heater size that you have in your home. The water inside once heated will cool down much more slowly, just like a thermos keeps drinks hot. Also, before you wrap it. Clean out the sediments that have built up inside it. Carefully attach a good garden hose to a nozzle at the bottom. Make sure the water heater is OFF, and has been off long enough to cool it down. You don’t want to get burned. While draining the water heater, you will need to open the hot water traps in all your sinks to allow the water in the water heater to escape. It should take with it the debris that has built up. When you fill the water heater back up, remember that the hot water lines are full of air and will need to let the air escape. It will escape through the faucets, then close them.

Air conditioner: Make sure it is serviced on the required schedule. Make sure you change filters as needed. Usually that means every month of operation. Make sure if it needs yearly oiling, to get it. Make sure it is the right size. And most of all, get one that has a great Energystar rating

Lighting: Switch to CFL’s

That is compact fluorescent lightbulbs. These use about 70-75% less electricity and can last as much as 8-10 times longer than a regular bulb. It is said that regular light bulbs act more like heaters than efficiant light sources. Use these especially in the areas that you need light a lot. You can recycle them at lamprecycle.org

These are some of the basic and most obvious ways to cut your electric utility costs significantly. Remember to also switch to a better, well if better means cheaper electricity rate. Texas and New York users can check here for their rates.

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