10 Home Improvement Tips to Save Money on Your Next Energy Bill
The average American uses roughly 300BTUs worth of energy every single year. Over 3 times the world average!
That massive energy usage means more than straining our power grid more than other countries. It also means outrageously high utility bills.
If you’re one of the millions of Americans dreading the summer coming given the wholesale increase of energy usage that comes along with it, we’re here to help!
Our team has compiled a list of home improvement tips targeted at helping you reduce your utility bill. Our hope is that putting even one or two of the below suggestions into practice within your household will lead to more money in your pocket and more funds to enjoy Summer fun!
- Must See – 7 Surefire Energy Saving Tips for Your Home
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Take Advantage of off Peak Periods
Did you know that in many municipalities, energy costs vary based on the time of day? That’s because energy providers are trying to entice people to conserve as much energy as possible during peak energy periods to reduce the risk of blackouts.
To take advantage of that offer, you’ll want to find out what the cheapest time of the day is to use energy and do energy-intensive things like running washers, dryers and dishwashers during that period.
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Use Fans
Fans tend to play second fiddle to air conditioning units throughout the summer. After all, they don’t generate cold air so much as they blow room temperature air around the room.
Still, if there are some cool breezes blowing around outside, popping some windows open and leaning on fan power to keep things cool can save you massive amounts of money over using your AC unit.
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Make Sure Your AC is Primed
A dormant AC unit is an inefficient one. What we mean by that is, if your AC unit has been sitting through 3 seasons not being used, you flipping it on during the Summer without some basic maintenance could be costly.
Before turning your AC on for the summer, make sure its filters are cleaned out, and its vents or “fins” are straightened. When in doubt, call a local AC inspector to give your unit a once over and fix any issues it may have.
Making sure that your AC is in good condition is one of our recurring home improvement tips you should revisit at least once per year.
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Skip Cooking on The Hottest Days
Nothing heats up a house quite like running the oven or stovetops. If you’re trying to keep your AC from working overtime, give your cooking appliances a rest and take advantage of cold meals.
Things like sandwiches, salads or other food that are best served cold can keep the temperature down in your house and save you time in the kitchen!
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Keep Your AC at a Reasonable Temperature
Small adjustments to your thermostat can change your energy bill dramatically. It can also make or break your local power grid which keeps your area from having costly blackouts
To save money and do your part keeping things running smoothly, keep your thermostat between 75 – 78 degrees when you’re home and set it just below room temperature when you’re away.
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Use Your Bathroom’s Vent Van
Most bathrooms come with a ventilating fan which works to pull heat and moisture out of the air. Be sure that you’re using this during and after showers to not only keep your bathroom cool but to prevent hot air from drifting through the rest of your household.
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Insulate Your Garage
Summer projects may mean a lot of time in your garage area. Most AC units don’t cover your garage and if they do, most garage’s insulation is so poor in that you’ll likely end up spending a fortune keeping conditions tolerable.
To help you keep your garage area cool, invest in an insulated garage door.
Believe us when we say that the money you’ll spend following home improvement tips like this will come back tenfold in energy and comfort savings.
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Keep Shades Closed
The amount of light that pours in through windows during the summer can increase your living space’s temperature dramatically. To cut down on the amount of heat coming in via light, keep your shades closed during hot days.
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Invest in a Draft Stopper
Many doors are poorly insulated at their bottom where there’s a space between the door and the floor. This space can let cool air out of your home and hot air in.
Spending as little as $5.00 on a draft stopper to plug that space could improve your insulation dramatically and help reduce your utility bill. At that price, home improvement tips don’t come much cheaper than buying a draft stopper!
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Opt for Non-Carpeted Flooring
This is one of the more expensive home improvement tips on this list but something you should be mindful of. Carpet is extraordinarily good at keeping your house warm during the winter. It’s horrible though at keeping it cool during the summer.
In order to keep your house consistently cool, wood or concrete floors should be something you should consider either installing or looking for in a future residence.
Wrapping up Tricks and Home Improvement Tips to Help You Reduce Your Utility Bill
Summer heat means high energy costs. To help keep your expenses in check, we recommend going through our list of tricks and home improvement tips above and implementing what seems reasonable for you and your family’s lifestyle.
Remember, even minor adjustments to your energy habits can mean massive savings come the end of the month!
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