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Do you sometimes open up a bill and wonder how on Earth you ever used that much gas or electricity? Maybe it’s all those late-night Netflix marathons you stream? Or, someone in the house is playing a few too many video games? Maybe you just leave the heating on for a bit too long? We’ll discuss why January is a tough month and how to lower your energy bill.
Well, while these things could up the bill a little, January is an expensive time for households. Winter is always a poor season for bills that come in the mail, or flood into your email inbox, and you can feel powerless against the onslaught.
With the inflation in the US at the highest it’s been since the 1980s, it’s high time to keep your household bills to a minimum! But what can you do to keep the price down and play gas and electricity companies at their own game? Here are a couple of tips to put to good use over the rest of the month.
how to lower your energy bill
Avoid Using Energy in Busy Hours
Did you know that energy companies make the most profit in their ‘peak hours’? These hours can vary across the globe, but for most countries, this is any time during the day. From the moment the sun comes up, until well after it goes down, the price of energy is on the high side. This is because of the energy demand from the grid; the more people who need energy to run their household, the more a provider can charge for it.
However, if you use the bulk of your energy during the quieter hours, there’s a strong chance your next bill will be a lot cheaper than you’re used to. To manage this, it’s a good idea to prevent big appliances (such as a dishwasher or tumble dryer) from working during the day and instead set them to work from 11 pm onwards.
Install a Smart Thermostat
Do you constantly leave the heating on without meaning to? Maybe you head out without ensuring it’s off? If either of these situations describes your habits, it’s time to get a smart thermostat for your home. Using one will take all the guesswork and the need to remember out of keeping your bills down. After all, a smart thermostat just needs you to set it up and then you can leave it to work in the background.
So, say you want the house cold during the night when you sleep, but to be warm enough for you to wake up in? A smart thermostat can be programmed to keep the temperature down during the early hours and then to slowly heat from 7 am onwards. Customize the settings as you want, but never worry again about leaving the heating on for too long, or about it coming on at inopportune times.
Heat Your Home a Different Way
Speaking of heating your home, tackling heating bills is always going to be a topic of contention in the financial world. After all, having to turn the heating on, as well as using gas in the kitchen throughout the winter can send this price point soaring! But what if you could swap out using an external provider with more traditional means?
Heating your home with other sources of fuel, such as Propane, could save you a few hundred dollars a year. Of course, if your home isn’t equipped to be heated by fuels such as Propane, you’ll need to get in touch with a technician to make the switch for you. However, even with budgeting for a job like this, you can still make big savings in the long run.
After all, Propane makes a home warmer than a central heating system, which can prevent you from needing to put the thermostat up too high. That can save you 1% on your total bill by every degree you drop. And if you choose to work with companies such as Tri Gas & Oil, you could source your home fuel source regularly with no trouble.
Keep Up with Maintenance
The more you maintain the appliances and systems in your home, the better they’re going to work. And the better they work, the more money you’ll save overall; things like fans and filters won’t be clogged up, and have to push harder to keep the air in your home cold in the summer or keep it warm in the winter.
So, if it’s been a while since you checked your HVAC, it’s time to get in there and sweep it out. Make sure you change out the filters in your home at least 3 or 4 times a year and never be afraid to call out a repair technician if the job gets hefty for you! Similarly, monitor the back of appliances such as the fridge and the freezer, and make sure they’re regularly pulled away from the wall.
Simply Unplug!
How often do you leave appliances in your home plugged in when they’re not in use? Probably all the time! It’s something we all do; if something like a microwave is always plugged in, it’s always ready to go, and you think little else of it. However, even when something is not in use, or is in standby mode, it’s consuming power that’s driving your bills up.
Thankfully, this one is a simple and easy fix. Just unplug as many items around your house as you can and make sure they stay unplugged until the next time you need them. You can do this in just a couple of minutes, and your household bills could lower dramatically.
So, if you want to know how to lower your energy bill in the new year, make sure you start with preventative actions this January!
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