Curb your electricity costs
Word is out, and it looks like electricity prices aren’t coming down anytime soon. h Post-pandemic inflation can be staggering; you won’t be alone if you find yourself in the grocery store bread aisle shaking your head in disbelief and wondering when prices will go back to normal. While there is some hope for easing inflation in the general U.S. economy, there’s a multitude of reasons conspiring to keep energy prices high. h You may be wondering, “Why is my electric bill so high?” While the price of electricity isn’t coming down, there are steps you can take to lower the costs at home. h On average, American households spend about $117 a month on electricity bills. But that doesn’t have to be you. If you’re looking for how to lower your electric bill, here are some ways to start.
1. Save on electricity bills with a smart thermostat
Swapping out your old thermostat for a smart version is the easiest way to make your home’s HVAC unit more efficient, says Clint Robertson, home improvement expert and American Standard Heating & Air Conditioning partner.
This change can help you shave as much as 10 percent to 12 percent off your heating bills, and up to 15 percent on cooling.
If you’re in the market for one, we recommend the Nest Smart Thermostat (third-gen).
If you can’t budget an upgrade at the moment, your current one will still most likely have handy programmable settings you can use, like the ability to turn down the heat at nighttime when you’re comfy under your favorite comforter.
$190 at Amazon
2. Look for the Energy Star label
Energy Star is a labeling program developed by the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency. To qualify for the label, appliances must meet or exceed minimum efficiency ratings.
Look for the designation on everything from kitchen appliances to water heaters and pool pumps. The label includes an annual cost-of-use estimation, which can help you budget realistically, keep your utility bills down and reduce your energy use.
Washers and dryers, for example, are one of the biggest energy suckers in homes. Our favorite top load set, the LG 1042524 delivers Energy Star standards.
$2,298 at Appliances Connection
3. Seal and insulate your home
In the winter, much of the air moving through your home is lost to air leaks and poor insulation. That leakage can raise your heating and cooling bills and make your home less comfortable.
Weatherizing your home, which involves sealing and insulating, can help plug the leaks and save 10 percent on your energy bill every year.
Look for leaks in the attic and basement, where the air most commonly escapes. Throughout the house, install weather stripping around doors and windows, and fit caulking around outlets and pipes to further lower utility costs.
$20 at Amazon
4. Save energy with smart plugs
These days most electronic devices use a significant amount less energy in standby mode than they used to, around 90 percent or more in many cases.
However, that doesn’t apply to certain older devices and some classes of newer units. One of the best tools we have to control how much electricity our home is using is the smart plug.
Smart plugs aren’t just for turning on and off hard-to-reach strands of Christmas lights with your voice (though that is a very cool feature).
These plugs empower you to schedule all the devices and lights in your home, ensuring that lights turn off while you’re out of the house or scheduling the AC unit so that it doesn’t go all day.
Use a great smart plug like a twopack of Wyze Plugs strategically and you could reinvent how your home’s energy usage… and how much you pay each month.
$20 at Amazon
5. Install a greener ceiling fan
Ceiling fans are always better than AC when you’re looking to save money on electricity. However, some ceiling fans are better than others.
New ceiling fans like the Haiku L Smart Ceiling Fan are one of the best ways to save money cooling a hot home.
Exceeding the Energy Star Efficiency requirements with aplomb, the Haiku is extremely energy efficient and extremely good at cooling.
It also syncs with your smart home ecosystem so you can schedule when it comes on and off, or start it cooling right before you get home.
$759 at Amazon
6. Update your AC and filters
Regularly changing your air filters every 30 to 90 days “helps your HVAC operate properly rather than work overtime,” Robertson says.
The advice applies for portable AC units as well as classic window units. Replace these filters at least every three months for maximum efficiency, money savings, and improved air quality.
If it’s time to upgrade your AC unit entirely, we recommend the Energy Star rated GE Profile, which did the best overall job in our tests for its combination of energy efficiency, cooling quality and design.
$353 at Best Buy
7. Upgrade to smart blinds
About three-quarters of the sunlight coming through your windows is transferred into heat, which can make your air conditioning work harder in the summer. But Robertson says one simple trick to save on utilities can help you beat the heat.
“Closing windows, drapes and blinds during the day – and opening them again when the sun goes down – is an easy and affordable way to help keep the house cool at all times,” he says.
You can even take it a step further with smart blinds, which are motorized shades that automatically adjust and can open and close on a set schedule.
Serena by Lutron is a good place to start.
$479 at Home Depot
8. Get an HVAC tuneup
Energy Star suggests hiring a contractor once a year to service your HVAC system. The tuneup can cost up to $450, but it’s worth the price tag because it helps the HVAC system run efficiently and keep utility bills in check.
It can also lengthen the life of your HVAC, which costs about $5,500 to replace.
But, “if the system is more than 10 years old, consider what you’d save in a full replacement,” Robertson says.
Repairing your air conditioning system, for example, could cost up to $1,500.
Meanwhile, a new, energy-efficient HVAC system can help lower your energy bills and provide better air flow.
9. Change out light bulbs for smart bulbs
Switching to energy-efficient light bulbs is one of the easiest ways to cut your energy bills. Although halogen incandescent, CFL, and LED light bulbs cost a bit more upfront, they help you save money in the long run because they use less energy compared to traditional incandescent bulbs.
Shop for these light bulbs with the Energy Star label, and you can save up to $45 each year.
We’ve ranked our favorite smart light bulbs, the Philips Hue LED bulbs, No. 1 because of its uncomplicated setup and easy-to-use app. These smart bulbs offer features like geofencing and remote control, so you’ll never accidentally leave the lights on again.
$50 at Amazon
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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.