Residential electricity prices have increased by 34 percent in the past decade, according to the Institute for Energy Research. Most homeowners are grappling with the rising electrical bills. These unpredictable spikes are bad news to a household’s budgeting efforts.
Luckily, there are many measures you can take to trim your electricity expenses without sacrificing your family’s comfort or safety. With a few painless adjustments around your home, you can drive your costs down. Here’s what to do to lower your electricity bills.
Compare Rates From Top Electricity Providers
Today, you don’t have to be stuck with an electricity provider whose rates are always high. Due to the increasing number of providers in the market, you can easily find competitive plans.
Analyzing the prices of different providers before making a choice can help you make significant savings every month.
To compare the cheapest electricity rates in Texas, you need the help of an electricity plan expert. These professionals will help you choose a provider who is affordable, great at customer service, and transparent.
Before switching to a new plan, make sure you fully understand all the details. With this approach, you are set to make substantial savings.
Do Your Own Energy Audit
When your electric bills are always going high despite your energy saving efforts, it’s time to do an audit. An audit will give you great insight into what is consuming lots of power in your home.
This method can help you pinpoint areas that need to be addressed. The audit should cover inspections of your appliances, electronics, and HVAC equipment.
Faulty appliances and equipment, air leaks, and poor insulation can drive up energy consumption in your home and inflict some serious damage to your wallet.
Compare your overall energy bill with the average cost for a home of your size in your area. This will help you know where you are on the score and the improvements you need to make.
Eliminate Phantom Loads
75% of the energy used by electronics is consumed when they’re turned off.
Most electronics continuously draw power when they are shut down but still plugged in. This power is called the phantom load or vampire draw. As most homes have multiple plug-in devices, a lot of electric power can go to waste.
You can tackle phantom load by unplugging all gadgets or utilizing a smart plug.
This smart plug is a WiFi connected gadget that helps you take control of all the devices into your home. When any device is plugged into it, you can monitor its power consumption and switch it on or off remotely using an app installed on your smartphone.
Maintain Your Equipment
Poorly maintained electronic systems suck lots of power and money from your account.
To be on the safe side, ensure your HVAC equipment and appliances are kept in good condition. Get a technician to perform scheduled inspections, cleaning, and maintenance.
With a maintenance routine, your equipment will always be energy efficient.
Install LED Light Bulbs
Switching to the most efficient bulbs in the market can go a long way into cutting your electricity bills.
LED bulbs consume up to 80% less electricity than traditional incandescent bulbs, according to the Department of Energy. These bulbs will help you lower your electricity bills and still provide you with the ideal amount of lighting.
Conclusion
Dealing with rising electricity bills can be quite stressful for homeowners.
Fortunately, there is a lot we can do to minimize these expenses. Start by comparing your current electricity plan with that of other providers, conduct an energy consumption audit, keep your appliances in top condition, switch to LEDs, and utilize smart plugs.
