January 10 marks National Cut Your Energy Costs Day, and I've got your personal cheat sheet with five strategies to conserve energy and elbow those extra costs out of your monthly bill:
1) Consider time-of-use rates.
Learn about your utility's time-of-use rates, which vary depending on the time of day. Strategically plan your energy use to save money. You can find these rates on your energy bill or the utility's website.
2) Leverage smart home plugs and thermostats.
Combat standby power consumption (up to 10% of your energy use) with smart switches for appliances and programmable thermostats. Schedule when they turn on and off efficiently.
3) Adjust the water heater temperature.
The U.S. Department of Energy says lowering your water heater temperature by 20 degrees can save 4% - 22% annually.
4) Efficient water heating.
Water heating is the second-largest home expense, averaging $400 - $600 yearly. Consider a $150 water heater smart controller to heat water only when needed (potentially saving 10% - 30%) and insulate your water heater to cut heat loss (saving 7% - 16%).
5) Monitor specific energy usage.
Make sense of rising bills by tracking energy usage and setting custom alerts. Knowing where your energy goes is the first step to making meaningful changes.
Bookmark this post for your next bill cycle, and feel free to reach out for more energy-saving insights!
