Super Cheap Electricity Blog

Using electricity sensibly can definitely help you get more value for the money that you spend on energy. It will also help in conserving natural resources and reduces the influence energy use has on the environment. Follow the energy saving tips and advice that can be to use throughout the year, in order to gain more control over your energy use at home.

Here are several things you can do to save electricity in your home:

• Be certain to turn off all the lights whenever you leave a room. Do not forget to turn off any electrical appliances when you leave a room such as TV, computers, stereos, radios, video games, DVD players etc. In case you go away on a trip, be sure to unplug these same electrical appliances, reason being these appliances have stand-by functions that consume electricity even when they are turned off.

• Keep your furniture and other things away from the front of heating and air conditioning vents. Always keep all doors and windows closed whenever heat or air conditioning is running.

• By installing a programmable thermostat will keep your house at the correct temperature day and night. Programmable thermostats can lessen your cooling and heating bills up to 10% reason being it will help lower the heat or raise the air conditioning when you are not at home.

• Ensure how much electricity your water heater consumes. In case it consumes more than other models of water heaters, use instead a more efficient one. Install insulation all over the pipes going in and out of your water heater. In case you have an older water heater, put an insulated blanket around it. Also remember to turn off your water heater if you are going out of town for more than a couple days.

• Replace your furnace filter at least once a year or even more if possible. Usually filters get clogged up with dirt and dust that circulate in a house. This basically means that air will have more difficult time passing through the filter, and in return your furnace has to work mush harder in order to heat the house.

• You can also try holding a ribbon or feather close to windows and doors to check if there are any drafts. In case there are, place a weather stripping or caulking in order to keep the outside air out and the air conditioning or heating air in.

• Try and turn off the water whenever you are brushing your teeth or taking a short shower. This will just not save water, but also it will save the electricity required to pump and heat the water.

• Make sure you use daylight hours instead of turning on lights and lamps. Make use of one big light bulb rather than using a few small ones. For example one 100-watt light bulb will gives out more light and consume less energy and than two 60-watt bulbs.

• Make use of fluorescent light bulbs as they use 75% less energy and even last longer than incandescent light bulbs. Try and use light bulbs that are low in wattage in areas of your house where you don’t require bright light. Also do not forget to keep the outdoor lighting turned off during the day.

• Regularly vacuum the coils of your refrigerator in order to lower your energy bill and to keep the condenser working better. Always cool you food to room temperature before putting them into the refrigerator.

• Try and prepare several food dishes in the oven together. Do not open the oven door until the food is done with cooking. Remember to defrost the food before you bake or microwave it.

• Always wash full loads of clothing rather than smaller ones. Try and use cold water for washing and rinsing the clothes. Do not forget to cleanse the lint filter of your dryer after every load. Always dry only full loads of clothes. Dry one load after the other because this will use less energy since the dryer is already hot. Remember to stop the dryer as soon as the clothes are dry.

With energy prices being at record high’s consumers must find convenient ways to conserve energy and make prices cheaper. Making your house more energy efficient will save you thousands of dollars on you electricity bill. The first step in this process is water heater insulation. There is always an abundance of water in your hot water tank most people would be able to survive if they adjust the temperature by lowering it a bit. There are also timers sold that will adjust to how much you use your hot water. (more…)

No need to go into a complete tailspin just because you think your electricity bill is extraordinarily high. Take a step back and try and figure out whether it is indeed too high or whether it is actually normal. Times change, utilities get more expensive. Take another look at your bill and compare it with your old bills. Is there much of a difference? (more…)

Just like wearing a coat in the winter helps conserve our own bodily heat, many other items also require a covering or coat to help in conservation efforts. You may not always think about these items and they may not always be easy to replace, but covering up can go a long way towards reducing overall total utility cost.

If you have a chimney, make sure there is a damper in the flue. The dampers, which are not all that expensive, will allow you to manage air drafts. These dampers can be kept closed to ensure that air conditioned air won’t be lost up the chimney and cold frigid air won’t be coming into your house when you’re nice and snuggly warm. There are multiple types and manufacturers of dampers, so search around to find that one that meets your specific needs.

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People spend months planning a vacation, weeks planning holiday decorations and hours planning an outfit to wear. Why shouldn’t we put as much thought and planning in our energy usage as we do other daily activities? Here are a few items to think about: (more…)

It’s very important to keep appliances and electronics in the best working order possible. This is where maintenance instructions come into play.

Make sure you don’t forget by creating a maintenance calendar. Create a yearly calendar complete with filter changes, oil changes for the car and past maintenance needs. Most filters need changed on a relatively short periodic basis. Some filters need cleaned on a monthly basis and others may last 3-4 months, but in every case, a dirty filter will use more energy and cost you more money in the long run. (more…)

When it comes to washing clothes, the goal is to get your clothes clean. Well – everyone knows that, but if you can also take some detailed steps to reduce your energy usage while still getting your clothes clean. (more…)

One *hot* topic, if you’ll pardon the expression, is how to keep warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Everyone wants to be comfortable in their own home without the need to add or shed layers of clothing. But – there are additional options other than just adjusting the thermostat. (more…)

It seems everyone understands how limited natural resources could get and how our wastefulness can put future generations at risk. This is great news for the cost-conscious energy consumer because this means that resources are available. (more…)

For any home owner, there eventually comes a time when some structural work has to be done. During this re-modeling, no matter how small it could be, take the chance to evaluate ways to reduce energy usage and make some changes to help make your house more efficient in the future. (more…)