Reducing Electric Bills

Rising Electric Bills is becoming a Shock To Wallet for many homeowners .There is no question that electricity prices will continue to rise. Many Homeowners have to deal with the raising cost of their Electricity Bills. It is normal for Homeowners have electric bills ranging from $300.00 to $750.00 monthly. Homeowners are tried and bothered by their raising Electric Bills Cost each month and don't know what to do to lower their cost .

Everyone is concerned with reducing their electricity bill in order to save money given the concern over the economic crisis. There is also the concern of the production of fossil fuels and the negative effects they have on the environment.

With increases in utility rates recently, we will have to find ways to reduce our energy consumption to save money. Here are tips that I have compiled from different sources to help you cut down your utility bills.

Change all of your light bulbs to fluorescent (or halogen) bulbs

Although fluorescent bulbs cost at least 5 times more than regular bulbs ($5 for fluorescent vs. $1 regular), they are 3 times more energy efficient, 4 times brighter, and 10 times longer lasting. An 11W fluorescent bulb gives off as much light as 60W incandescent bulb. At my local IKEA, you can get an 11W fluorescent bulb for CAN $5.95 (= USD $4.10).

Reach for the Stars

Energy Star appliances use less energy, save you money and help protect the environment. Available products range from programmable thermostats to cordless phones. To give an example, Energy Star washing machines use 50% less energy and could reduce your utility bills by over $100 a year.

Attic and Check the entire house for leaks

If you have an attic in your house, go upstairs to make sure the insulation is secure. Having lose insulation can result in lost heat during the winter. Have a professional check your entire house for leaky heat. Also check your doors. Make sure that they are air tight and nothing is coming in. Having good insulation will reduce your electricity bill. Your house will stay warmer during the cooler months.

Seal all windows and fireplace

Use anti-draft plastic sheets, to seal windows. You can also place rolled-up towels around window ledges to prevent air from escaping. When you are not using your fireplaces, remember to close the vents or seal the front of the fireplaces with plastic sheets.

Quit using the dishwasher.

Unless you've just had a party with lots of dishes to do, it's probably not that big of a hassle to wash the dishes by hand. Try washing them right after eating instead of putting it off. The food won't be stuck to the plates. If you have a dirty pan or something caked on, add a little soap and water and let it set overnight.

Leave breathing room for your refrigerator

Your refrigerator works constantly to keep your food cold, so it is a heavy user of electricity. To help your fridge runs more efficiently, leave room in the back and on the top for air to circulate. An efficient fridge uses less electricity to keep a constant cold temperature. 
Hand wash

Try hand-washing if you have the time. No Impact Man washes his clothes by putting them in the bathtub, filling it with water, and stomping them. The action is similar to that of a washing machine. You'll burn calories, save money, and you can do larger bathtub loads than machine loads.

Line-dry.

Don't waste your time and money on the dryer when you have sunlight for free! If you live in a place that prohibits hanging out clothes, try hanging a few of them in your windows. Even if you're only line drying a few things, this will still cut back on the time and energy needed to tumble the rest.

Avoid the Phantom Draw

Phone chargers draw energy all day long when they're left plugged into the wall, and electronics can use 40% of their regular running energy when plugged in on standby.

Unplug your energy vampires.

Everything that is plugged into your wall is using energy, even when it's off. That flashing light on your DVD player isn't lighting up on its own. Even appliances without lights will draw a minimal amount of energy. Unplug these after each use. If this is inconvenient, you can also plug your appliances into a power strip and switch it off after each use.

Use less water

Take showers instead of baths, fix leaks, and turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. And buy efficient fixtures by looking for the Water Sense label

Turn or shut down your water heater overnight

After everyone in your household has taken a shower, turn down the temperature of your water heater. You can even shut it down because the tank water is still usually warm enough for uses in the morning. If you properly schedule the turn off time, you can save up to 20 hours of energy use.

Solar Energy

Solar energy has become less expensive to install and construct due to advanced technology. The government's concern of the growing energy demands has offered tax incentives on implementing alternative energy sources. Any money that you spend will be able to be used as a tax deduction for the next tax season. This can mean even more money in your pocket.

This Article was by Michelle At People's Natural Living: