Which utility bill do you dread the most?
If you say the electricity bill, it’s understandable, considering U.S. electricity rates keep rising. It could even be worse if you’re a PG&E customer, as the company’s recent price hike can cause your average bill to spike by $34.50 a month. So, within a year, you’d pay over $400 more towards your electricity bills!
Luckily, there are many ways to keep your energy bills from spiraling out of control, and they all start with lowering your electricity consumption. These strategies can also benefit the planet by reducing the need to burn more fossil fuels. The fewer fossil fuels burned, the fewer air pollutants and greenhouse gases emitted.
Read on as we’ll enlighten you on how to minimize your electricity usage at home.
Table of Contents
Mind the Power Vampires
Power or energy vampires are electronic devices that consume energy even when turned off. If you have them plugged in, they will continue using and wasting energy, increasing electricity usage.
Appliances and gadgets on standby mode are some of the best examples of power vampires. According to experts, they can cause significant increases in your annual energy usage and add hundreds of dollars to your bills.
So, one of the easiest ways to conserve energy and lower your utility bills is to unplug the following when not in use:
- Home entertainment systems, including TVs, speakers, cable boxes, and gaming consoles
- Computers, including desktop PCs and laptops
- Coffee machines
- Rice cookers
- Wall warts like bulky cellphone chargers
- Charging bricks and corded boxes
You should also ask everyone in your household to cooperate in implementing this strategy. Posting notes around the house can work as an effective reminder.
Switch to LED Lighting
It’s wise to turn off lights not in use to conserve energy, but it’s even better if the bulbs themselves are LEDs.
LED (light-emitting diode) is today’s most energy-efficient lighting technology. By swapping your old, inefficient bulbs with LEDs, you can save around $225 in energy costs yearly.
Mind the (Air) Gaps
Air gaps, or air leaks, are cracks and openings that serve as entry points for outside air into your home. They also let conditioned air from inside your home exit to the outdoors.
Multiple and severe air leaks can increase your energy bills by affecting indoor temperature and comfort. This can add to the workload of your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system. The more work your HVAC system has to do, the more energy it uses, and the higher your utility bills can get.
Example of Air Leaks at Work
Imagine it’s winter, and your home has a severe air leak problem. In this case, icy outside air can penetrate your home and make it colder. As a result, your heating system would have to work harder (in other words, use more energy) to heat your home.
At the same time, unwanted gaps allow conditioned air to exit your home. So, the warm air produced by your home heater would have gone to waste. Likewise, the energy used by your system to heat the air would have also gone down the drain.
How to Deal With Air Leaks
The first step is hunting down air leaks, starting with door and window frames, vents, and exhaust fans. Other common spots for these air gaps are where cable TV, phone, and internet lines enter through the wall.
You can also hire a qualified technician to perform a blower door test. This energy assessment involves depressurizing your home, revealing the location of many air leaks. It can also tell you which areas in your home need more insulation.
Once you know where the air gaps are, you can apply air-sealing materials like caulk and weatherstripping. You can also add insulation for better thermal control and comfort.
Go Solar
A residential solar power system allows you to generate electricity at home. You can then use this energy to reduce your from-the-grid electricity consumption.
Since you’ll tap the grid less, you’ll also enjoy lower utility bills. Depending on the size of your solar panel system, it may even reduce your electricity bills to zero.
Correctly Sizing Your Solar Panel System
To completely power your home with solar, you need enough solar panels to meet 100% of your average electricity usage. You can determine the latter by looking at the “average monthly consumption” in your past utility bills. This would be in kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Now, let’s say you’re like the average U.S. household, which, in 2022, had an average monthly electricity consumption of 899 kWh. This is the output you’d need from your solar energy system if you want it to reduce your bills to 0.
Other factors you need to account for are the following:
- The peak sun hours in your area
- The efficiency of the solar panels you plan to buy
- The size, integrity, and orientation of your roof
A full-service solar company providing comprehensive energy assessments can make things easier. Their team of experts will conduct an on-site evaluation of your home and your energy requirements. They’ll then use their findings to design a system that can meet 100% of your electricity needs.
What if Your Roof Is Too Small?
Don’t worry because solar panels aren’t explicitly for roofs; they can also go on the ground.
So, if you feel worried that your roof won’t be able to accommodate all the panels you need, look for a spot on your property that gets lots of sunlight. Your solar installer will likely recommend enhancing energy production with added panels installed in this area.
Lower Your Electricity Consumption With These Tips
From eliminating power vampires to sealing air leaks and going solar, all these can help you reduce your electricity consumption. As a result, you’ll enjoy lower utility bills and have more money to save. These strategies also let you reduce your emissions and benefit the environment.
So, as early as today, get started on implementing these tactics! The sooner you do, the sooner you can worry less about high electricity bills.
Check out our latest blog posts for more practical money-saving guides like this.
