Ways to decrease your power bill is definitely on many people's minds these days. With the costs of energy sources such as gasoline skyrocketing, lowering your electric bill has to be a priority these days. Here's some frequently asked questions and answers that we are asked at times about how customers can reduce their power bill. We asked trained and experienced energy efficiency experts to offer simple ways to conserve and save on your energy bill.
According to several sources, a family can save as much as ten-percent (10%) annually on their home's heating and cooling costs by turning their thermostat 7 to 10 degrees higher than you normally would in warm months and 7 to 10 degrees lower in cold months for eight hours a day. Efficiency experts recommended setting your heating thermostat in winter to the lowest comfortable setting while you are home. The lower your thermostat setting in cold weather, the lower your heating bills will be. In summer you'd do the opposite, setting your thermostat to the highest comfortable setting. The higher the setting, the lower your cooling energy bills will be is obvious.
Do your laundry as early as possible in the day during the summer months, then in the evenings during winter months. In the summer your home tends to get warmer in the afternoon and your washer and dryer may likely make your HVAC system work much harder. In the winter, your home tends to get cooler in the night time and the washer and dryer may actually assist your heating system to work a little less hard. Always remember to use cold water in the wash cycle, plus to wait until there's enough clothing to do a full load (thus increasing energy efficiency and water use).
Your refrigerator should be 37 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The freezer should be 4 to 5 degrees if it is part of a fridge/freezer unit. For a separate freezer, use a setting of 0.
Using fans is a great way to lower your cooling costs. Fans will only save money on your cooling if you are able to increase your thermostat temperature when the fans are on. For example, if you normally set your thermostat to 76 degrees, when using fans, if you can set it to 78 degrees, you will obviously spend less money! Fans use a lot less energy than air conditioning, so using fans more and air conditioning less will save energy.
Running a dehumidifier will increase your energy use and therefor your energy costs. The dehumidifier uses energy, but really doesn't have an effect on the amount of work your HVAC unit has to do to cool your home. The AC cools the air to the set temperature and dehumidifies at the same time. With most home setups, the AC will stop running when the temperature set-point is reached, regardless of the humidity. In addition, dehumidifiers give off heat when they run, creating additional challenges in cooling your house. If you want a cool home, use your Air Conditioner without running the dehumidifier. It is true you will feel cooler when the air is dryer. So when the weather is cool but damp, you could consider running the dehumidifier and not your AC (although you may not save anything). This is because a dehumidifier is less efficient (uses more energy to remove the same amount of water) than your central HVAC unit does.
You will always use less electricity by turning off your lights when you are not using them. However, keep in mind that with some types of bulbs, turning them on and off a lot will shorten their life. In some cases, the cost of paying to keep the lights on is less than the cost of buying new bulbs more often. Most homes don't have this issue. Energy.gov recommends you always turn off incandescent, halogen or LED bulbs when they aren't needed. It won't shorten their life. For CFLs and fluorescent tube lights, turning them on and off a lot may shorten their useful life. The rule of thumb is to turn them off if you are leaving the room for more than five minutes.
Not many people are aware that appliances and electronics that are plugged in all the time, yet not in use consume a small amount of power, called standby power. However, standby power can actually account for as much as ten-percent of your annual electricity costs. The amount of standby power will obviously be dependent on how many devices you have, the type, and how often they are plugged in.
Looking into your heating and cooling system, keeping them well maintained, and upgrading to more efficient appliances when necessary, are the BIGGEST and most reliable way of reducing your energy and power bill. Be aware of what is using energy in your home so you can understand and control your use. In general, appliances that use the most energy are your HVAC (heating and cooling systems), electric water heaters, dryers, dehumidifiers and space heaters. Changing your AC filter regularly is key to a well maintained HVAC unit, along with always using the proper filter for your particular unit or system.
Selecting the filters that are just right for your home can be difficult and confusing at times. At US Home Filter we understand this, which is why we offer an experienced staff to help answer any questions you may have. For personal assistance with your air filter needs, please contact us now online or call us at (855) 237-1673 and we will do our very best to assist you in selecting the right filter for your individual needs. We want to earn your business and we guarantee your satisfaction! Take advantage of our quality products, vast selection, low prices, and enjoy FREE SHIPPING on every air filter order within the Contiguous USA.
