The colder months of the year can rack up your energy bills significantly. This is probably because heating your house for the winter months is much more expensive than cooling it in summer. Also, during the colder months, people prefer to stay inside, which can also increase energy consumption.
If you live up north where it’s much colder, then you already know this. Luckily for you, there are several things that you can do to lower your energy bills, even just for a little bit. Here are some tips you might want to follow to lower your energy bill during winter.
Go Within Optimal Temperatures
Stinson Air Conditioning informs that the optimal AC temperature for energy savings is 21-22 degrees Celsius in winter and 24-25 degrees Celsius in summer. The average family household spending $350 could save around $70 a month with just a few minor adjustments to their AC temperature.
Going higher than that can also bump your energy bills. That said, as much as possible, you should always go within 21-22 degrees Celsius. Not only are you saving money, but you’re also comfortable doing it.
Weatherstripping
Has your mom scolded you in the past because you let your windows be open during harsh temperatures? If you were in this situation before, you probably know now that letting your windows and doors open will let the heat or cold air out from your air conditioner. However, did you know that even if you shut your windows and doors, you still let the air out from your air conditioner?
You might think that those little gaps won’t let too much air out, but it’s one of the biggest contributors to your energy consumption. If you want to decrease your energy bills during winter, you might want to start weatherstripping your windows and doors.
Only Wash or Dry Full Loads of Laundry
As consumers, we don’t want to increase our energy usage, especially during winter when energy bills are commonly high.
If you’re a person who usually washes or dries laundry at least twice a week, then you might want to limit your usage of your dryer and washer. Why? These appliances are two of your home’s biggest energy uses.
Instead of washing and drying now and then, why not only wash and dry full loads of laundry? This way, you won’t use too many of these appliances before, lowering your energy bill. It might be tiring to wash and dry full loads of laundry, but it’s a simple and effective method to lower your energy bills.
Insulate Your Pipes
If you turn on your hot shower, it will take a few seconds before hot water comes pouring in. It might be too trivial for you, but did you know that your pipes are bleeding energy usage every second they heat your water? Depending on how far water has to travel, you could be losing heat. How do you solve this?
You can solve this problem by insulating your pipes. With this, you can raise the temperature of your water faster and with an additional 2-4 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only are you getting warmer and faster water, but you also don’t have to waste more water waiting for it to heat up, significantly lowering your energy and water bills.
Use a Timer for Your Holiday Lights
Winter months mean Christmas is coming, and of course, we don’t want to look like Scrooge out here by not decorating our house with holiday lights. But at the same time, we also don’t want to bump up our energy bills because of these beautiful holiday light decorations. One thing you could do to save money on energy bills while also getting in on the festive atmosphere is to put a timer on your holiday lights.
If you set up your holiday lights with smart plugs, they won’t have to be turned on all night, as your smart plugs will automatically turn them off depending on the time you want them off. This is especially true if you usually forget to turn them off before you sleep.
Unplug Your Unused Electronics
Many electronics and appliances still draw energy even in the “off” mode. The prime culprits are your appliances that use a remote control because their off mode is essentially just standby mode.
To avoid letting these appliances draw more energy, it’s better to unplug them entirely. It might be bothersome to plug them in and turn them on when you want to use them, but these appliances are also some of the biggest contributors to your energy bill.
Final Words
The winter months are upon us, so you might want to prepare yourself to lower your energy bills. Thankfully, you can always follow the above mentioned tips, so you don’t have to worry much about your energy consumption. The funny thing about these tips is that you can use some of them during the summer.
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