Tips On Saving Money On Your Electric Bill
It’s not that hard to save money on your electric bill and be environmentally friendly. It only takes a few changes in your household and the end result will be large savings on your electrical bill as well as being good for the environment.
Please keep these tips from your Chicago electrician in mind…
Refrigerator Saving Tips
Regularly cleaning the refrigerator coils ensures that it always running smoothly and performing at its peak.
Refrigerator coils can get really dirty and dusty, with the end result being that often your refrigerator will not perform at peak efficiency or run very smoothly. Big savings can be found by ensuring they are kept clean at all times.
If you’re trying what to decide to have for lunch or dinner, try and think outside the box, literally. With the door closed just imagine what’s inside the refrigerator and the freezer area. When you’ve made a decision then open the door, remove things quickly and get it shut again. This helps to maintain a proper temperature in the refrigerator so that it doesn’t have to turn on in order to re-cool the inside.
Late evenings you should plan for the next day’s meal and take frozen foods out of the freezer area and let them thaw in the interior area. Food that has been defrosted will save you on cooking time and while in the refrigerator area overnight the frozen food helps to keep the interior colder.
The Stove
The same goes for when opening and closing you’re baking. Once you put something in the oven don’t open it until it’s ready. Don’t turn the internal light on but instead use a flashlight to look inside.
Also, baking with glass allows you to lower the temperature in your oven by as much as 25 degrees F. Glass is a better conductor of heat and therefore allows for significant savings.
Use your saucepans correctly. They should be the same size of the element you’re using. Putting a small pot on top of a large element is a huge waste of energy. The same goes for putting a large pot on the small burner. It will take longer for it to serve its purpose and waste your electricity.
Dishwasher Saving Tips
Keep your dishwasher filled to capacity before using it and when the cleaning cycle has been completed you should open the door and let the dishes air-dry. This is a major energy grab and doing this can save you a lot of money.
Laundry Tips
With the new detergents that are available today you can use less detergent and wash your laundry in cold water. Make sure that machine is completely full. Manufacturers now recommend full loads as the clothes rubbing against each other help in the cleaning process.
Dryer sheets are expensive and yet cutting one in half will do the same job as a big one. Another thing to try is to buy some fabric softener and pour a bit onto a wet washcloth. It will work the same as a dryer sheet and be less expensive in the long run.
Don’t put more in the dryer than it can handle. It makes it work harder and longer. One solution is to look at clothes that don’t really need a dryer, such as towels and underwear and let them dry on a line. This will give you huge savings on your electric bill.
Hot Summer Days
During the hot summer months be sure to keep all the curtains closed. Drapes, blinds and curtains help to keep cooler air indoors while preventing sunshine from warming up the house.
Computer and Equipment
Most computers and any related equipment should be plugged into a surge protector. When the computer, printer and other items you have are not being used then turn the surge protector off and save more on your energy bill. If you leave your computer on during the day, while you’re doing other things, then ensure that your setting have been changed to go into sleep mode quickly.
The Cost of Lighting
Investing in energy efficient bulbs may cost more than regular bulbs but they’ll last longer and save you a lot of money. Also, it’s important to not have lights on in rooms that are not being used. You can save a lot of money by using some candles at night and having the blinds open during the daytime. Even televisions can provide lighting in your living room or den and allow for better viewing when no lights are on.
