There are many variables that contribute to electric bill savings. If your home is the same basic architecture as your neighbor’s but your electric bill is higher, it’s worth investigating what’s different in your household. Are your family members energy hogs? Another factor is your home’s age. If you have a “good old house,” you can implement electric bill savings using some of these 12 tips.
Home Electric Bill Savings in AZ
To paraphrase a quote, great things can happen when a series of small things are brought together. Electric bill savings are almost insignificant with one or two changes. But when you make several adjustments, you can see significant improvements in your annual electric bill.
Here are twelve energy modifications:
- Add window shades to rooms – The sun’s light can warm a room that your AC will struggle to keep cool.
- Change your air filter more often – Just changing your air filter once a month can lower your electric bill. It also saves money because your expensive HVAC system won’t have to work so hard.
- Consider mini-split AC – In Arizona, air conditioning is our biggest energy expense, and can account for 40%-70% of your electric bill. Mini-split AC units can reduce energy expenses by about 30% for significant electric bill savings. They’re easy to install and also increase property value.
- Do laundry at night – And consider air drying.
- Get an attic fan – If you’ve climbed into the attic in August, you know exactly how smotheringly hot Arizona attics get. A ventilation fan can cool your attic and force the hot air outside. This can lower the temperature in your home.
- Install solar panels – Granted, this isn’t a small change, but it packs a powerful punch in saving electricity. The ROI (return on investment) is realized by reducing energy, tax savings, and increasing property value.
- Keep fridge clean – A cluttered refrigerator/freezer pulls more power as it attempts to circulate air properly.
- Reduce brightness – Computer and television screens’ brightness can be reduced by as much as 70% without degrading the view.
- Request money-saving electrical upgrades – These include:
- Adding timers to lights
- Ceiling fans
- Install dimmer switches
- LED light replacements
- Replacing outdoor lights with timed lights
- Replacing thermostat with smart thermostat (A Wi-Fi thermostat can save $50-$145 annually.)
- Schedule a home energy audit – These cost about $100 and will pinpoint areas of your home where you’re losing energy. You can then plan for solutions to stop air conditioning (or heating) the outdoors.
- Switch to double-pane windows – This is a surprising upgrade because it doesn’t cost too much but can deliver very good electric bill savings. If you choose Energy Star-certified windows you’ll save even more.
- Upgrade your insulation – It’s surprising how many people think insulation is only to keep homes warm in winter. It’s also a factor in keeping homes cool. If it’s compressed or damaged, an investment in adding spray foam insulation can lower energy bills.
Save Money With LEED-Certified Electricians
Reducing your carbon footprint may have an initial higher cost but you’ll save money on electric bills. There are many electrical upgrades to consider, and each one has a timeframe in which your investment pays for itself.
To make sustainable energy changes, you should work with LEED-certified electricians. You won’t necessarily pay more, but you’ll definitely save more. To learn more, contact Turn It On Electric.
