No-Cost Ways To Save Electricity

Did you know that you don’t have to compromise your life’s comfort to save electricity? Making simple changes in your life can go a long way in reducing your electricity bill. If you have no idea how to reduce energy bills, this explainer aims to give some valuable no-cost energy saving tips to get you started:

Turn the Thermostat Down at Night

Turning your thermostat down at night can save you a significant amount of money on electric bills in the long run. Since the outside is cooler at night, it takes significantly less energy to cool the house. Your house will often remain cool throughout the morning, so you won’t need to run the A/C until late afternoon.

Turn Off Appliances You Don’t Use

This practice remains one of the simplest residential electricity-saving tips. You should realize that appliances use energy even when in standby mode. So, you can reduce your energy costs significantly if you make a habit of completely turning off the appliances you are not using.

Use Lights Conservatively

Let’s look at several ways to use lighting in your home to reduce energy bills:

• Turn off lights when no one is in the room. Focus on using natural light as much as possible.
• Keep your light bulbs clean. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, dirty bulbs emit 30% less light than clean ones, so you may need to use more bulbs for sufficient lighting.

Wipe your bulbs with a dry cloth, not wet, because water can get into crevices and damage electronics. Avoid spraying cleaning solutions directly onto the bulbs, lest you damage them.

• Use task lighting. Using light only where you need it offers another effective energy-saving strategy. You don’t have to flood the entire room with light when you may only need a small reading lamp. Ensure the lighting you choose satisfies your specific functional needs.
• Place lamps in corners. When you place lights in corners, the light will bounce off the walls, so you need fewer lamps overall.

Keep the Fridge Cool

Many homeowners make the mistake of setting their refrigerators between 35 and 38 degrees to lower energy costs. However, keeping your refrigerator’s temperature set too low will make it operate less efficiently. The reduced efficiency will cost you money and leave your refrigerated food frozen. It is best to set your refrigerator at 40 degrees for optimum efficiency and energy savings.

Don’t Use Hot Water in Electric Washers

Besides saving you money on electric bills, not washing your clothes with hot water has other benefits. Hot water usually shrinks clothes and reduces their lifespan. Also, the hot water in your washer does not get hot enough to neutralize germs.

Your dryer works more effectively in killing germs than the hot water in your washer. Moreover, heating the water in your electric washing machine rates among your home’s major wastes of energy and money.

Wash Full Loads of Laundry

Did you know that you will use the same amount of electricity to wash a small load as you would for a full load? Therefore, you can save money by running only full loads of laundry, no matter the type of washer you have.

Use the Microwave Instead of the Oven

Microwave ovens are more efficient and use up to 80% less energy than conventional ovens. Besides saving energy, microwaves usually cook food much faster and generate less heat in your kitchen than traditional ovens. A microwave will generally take 15 minutes to do the same job as one hour in an oven.

With less heat generated, you could save money on air conditioning costs in the summer. Using a microwave instead of your conventional oven four times a week could save you $13 a year.

Save Money With Now Power

Now that you know how to reduce energy bills by implementing the above electricity bill reducing hacks, you can save more money by signing up with Now Power, a trusted prepaid electricity provider in Texas.

Now Power offers different electricity plans in Texas to fit every lifestyle. You don’t have to worry about deposits, credit checks, or long-term contracts. Contact us to talk to our representative to get you set up today.