Low- and no-cost ways to trim your utility bill
After a mild start to 2023, the frigid winter weather — and snow — has arrived along with higher electric bills.
National Grid announced several months ago that heating prices would increase by more than 30 percent this winter due to ongoing inflation and instability in the world energy market due to the war in Ukraine. If you heat your home with natural gas, that’s gone up, too. You may pay 50 percent more than last year, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
The forewarning is cold comfort to homeowners who must contend with those soaring energy costs, along with increased grocery and gas bills.
“The rising cost of energy coupled with inflation like eggs at $7 a dozen are contributing to homeowners spending more cautiously and thinking of ways to be more conservative than in the past few years,” said Alan Ayers, vice president of Crisafulli Bros. Plumbing & Heating Contractors.
There are several small, simple adjustments you can make now to save on energy costs, though, he said.
“Obviously, I have to suggest a home heating system tune up,” he quipped. “This preventative measure will assure that you system is running at optimal performance using as little energy as possible. And, it’s never too late to have it done.”
In addition to tweaking things around the home (find a full list of tips below), there are also state and federal credits available to homeowners.
Gov. Kathy Hochul recently announced a new one-time credit to provide relief to residential customers and businesses who were more than 60 days in arrears through May 1, 2022. Residential customers can receive up to $2,750 and small commercial customers can receive as much as $4,750 to pay off past utility bills. All told, $672 million will be dispersed in this debt forgiveness program.
The governor is also backing an additional $200 million in relief for high electric bills. Discounts will be provided to more than 800,000 New Yorkers making less than $75,000 who have not been eligible under the NYS Energy Affordability Program/ Low-Income Bill Discount Program.
If there’s room in the budget, homeowners that upgrade or enhance their home heating and cooling systems may be eligible for the Inflation Reduction Act’s energy-efficient home improvement credit. This credit — equal to 30 percent of the sum of amounts paid — can also be used toward the installation of new doors, windows, insulation and more.
For now, consider trying out some of these low and no-cost ways to trim your electricity and heating costs.
■ Seal off. “Be sure that your home is sealed tightly,” Ayers said. “Even small cracks in windows or walls can let valuable heat escape.”
■ Temperature control. Ayers recommends setting your thermostat to 68 degrees in the winter. “Every degree of extra heating or cooling will increase energy usage 6 to 8 percent,” he said.
■ Upgrade your thermostat. If you can swing it, install a programmable Wi-Fi thermostat that can automatically adjust the temperature according to your schedule. “The smart thermostats that are out there today can definitely make sure your heating system is running as efficiently as it can,” Ayers said.
■ Take care of what’s there. You should clean or replace all filters in your home’s HVAC system regularly. “Dirty filters make your system work harder and run longer than necessary. A dirty filter can cost you up to 20 percent more energy usage to heat your home,” Ayers said.
■ Swap out bulbs. Incandescent light bulbs are an unnecessary waste of energy. “Replace your light bulbs with LED bulbs, they use at least 75 percent less energy than those old incandescent bulbs,” Ayers said. You could save as much as $40 a year, according to Energy Star.
■ Use a toaster oven. If you’re cooking a small meal, save energy — and money — by using a toaster oven instead of a regular oven. The smaller option will use one-third to onehalf less energy, according to an Energy Star report.
■ Incorporate drapes in your decor. Add some heavy-duty window treatments that block heat loss and keep south-facing window treatments open during the day to allow the natural heat from the sun to warm your pad.
■ Maintain vents and registers. Clean floor and wall registers, baseboard heaters and radiators. Make sure they are clear of dust and debris and not blocked by furniture or window treatments.
■ Wash clothes in cold water. Hot water heating accounts for 90 percent of the energy your machine uses to wash clothes, according to Energy Star; only 10 percent goes to power the appliance. Use cold water when you can to save energy and money.