The holidays bring lots of surprises both welcome and irritating, including one that seems to catch people unaware every year-outrageous utility bills. We’ve probably all given a minutes thought to how Christmas lights might affect our electric bill but the whole ‘more of everything’ spirit of the season can make January an unpleasant moment of discovery. Parties and overnight guests, holiday baking and cooking for crowds, increased heating costs, more gadgets and electronics… the list of things impacting utility costs goes on.
In addition, our ‘normal’ lives have changed dramatically, multi-generational households are no longer uncommon. More adult kids are moving back in with parents and vice versa. If you’re spending more time at home, as well as accommodating more family members than usual under your roof, you may be seeing an increase in your utility bills. But don’t despair! There are several simple strategies you can implement to lower your energy costs, even with a house full of people—just make sure everyone’s on board and follows suit!
1. Be Ever Mindful of Your Home’s Climate Control. Even slight variations in the temperature of your home can have a big impact on your wallet. Outside of a mortgage, heating and cooling is typically a home’s biggest monthly expense. If you’ve got the heat on, lower the thermostat by a couple of degrees, and do the opposite if you’re running the air conditioning—raise the temperature a degree or two. According to the Department of Energy, you’ll save about 3 percent for every degree you lower/raise…that adds up quickly! A programmable smart thermostat will make this a seamless process as you can set it to automatically readjust during certain times of the day. Oh, and during those holiday parties and family gatherings you can lower the heat by several degrees without causing discomfort for your guests. The celebrating crowd will produce a radiant warmth all its own.
2. Cut Down on Oven Usage. Don’t turn on the oven to cook a small meal or just to warm something up. Use a toaster oven, griddle, air fryer or microwave instead. Outdoor grills are priceless when it comes to saving energy. Experts estimate that utilizing either of the outdoor grilling methods, charcoal or propane/gas, the cost is only about $1 an hour. When you do need to use the oven, avoid opening the oven door as much as possible- every time you do, heat is released and cooking time is extended. Of course, the best idea of all, is to add a couple of cold dishes to your dinner schedule. Consider a weekly “sandwich night” or integrate some healthy but satisfying salad mains to the rotation.
3. Don’t Overwork the Fridge. Keep the refrigerator door closed as much as possible. By encouraging family members not to open the door for random perusing, food stays fresher longer and your refrigerator maintains its temperature. Pre-plan your trip to the fridge, grab all the items you’ll need in one shot, instead of going back and forth several times. You .can also save energy costs by letting leftovers cool off on the counter before putting them away.
4. Maximize Laundry Time. Believe it or not there are also a few laundry-related tips and tricks that will help you save on energy costs. For instance, set your washers dial to the maximum spin time whenever you can to remove as much moisture as possible. This cuts back on drying time. Appliances that produce heat are far more costly to run. You can also make your dryer more efficient by consistently cleaning the lint screen improving air circulation. Get in the habit of using the sensor setting on your dryer to let you know when clothes are done, as opposed to setting a specific dry-time. Do laundry when there’s a full load.
Other Small Changes that Can Make a Big Difference.
- Lower the temperature on your water heater. Most water heaters are set to 140 degrees. A setting of 125 is not only more energy efficient, but 140 can burn a child’s skin in 2.5 seconds. A setting of 125 allows a 30 second reaction time before burning takes place. Shorter showers also help with water heater expense.
- Keeping blinds and shades open during the day in cold weather not only provides a little extra warmth but floods your home with lots of natural light.
- Unplug devices when not in use. Phantom electric usage is real!!
- If you haven’t already, switch to energy efficient light bulbs. There are hundreds of options in every level of brightness and tons of shades from warm yellows to bright whites.
One more welcome surprise after the holidays, will be what a big affect these small changes can make in your utility expenses for the coming year.
Source: Consumer Reports.
Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2020. All rights reserved.
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Bill Salvatore / Arizona Elite Properties
Your Valley Property Team
Residential Sales, Marketing, and Property Management
Selling Arizona for more than 18 years
Founder: AZVHV Arizona Veterans Helping Veterans
Recipient: East Valley Tribune’s: Best Gilbert, Arizona Realtor
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