How Can You Save Money on Your Utility Bills?
Who doesn’t like to save money? If you are like most people, you dread receiving your utility bills. During cold weather, you gas expenses are high because you have your heat cranked up all the time. In the summer, your electric bill takes a major hit because of the cost of having your air conditioner on constantly. However, you will be happy to know that there are many ways to lower the amount of money you pay for your utilities. In many cases, the things you need to do in order to lower your expenses are simple and cheap. Here are some tips to make your utility bills shrink.
1. Use white paint on your roof
Several studies have been conducted which show that when a building has a white roof, it only needs 60 percent of the power required to cool black roofed buildings. By painting your roof white, you could save as much as $130 every year to cool your home. You can use an elastomeric coating that will not cost you much money. You will be able to buy it at the vast majority of hardware stores. This type of coating is waterproof, flexible and durable. Not only will it help to lower your cooling costs, it will also improve how well your roof resists water and how long it lasts.
2. Keep your electronics unplugged
Most utility companies like Palmco recommend that people perform a sweep of their home before going to bed to make sure that they do not leave any electronic devices plugged in overnight. Many people believe that when they turn a device off, it is no longer using any power. Actually, this is not true at all. In reality, electronics are always drawing power as long as they remain plugged in, even if they are turned off. This is especially true for items with large black boxes connected to their plugs. These draw much more power than traditional plugs. By doing something as simple as unplugging your electronics when you are not using them, you can save a lot of money on your energy bills.
3. Water heater temperature
According to information provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), you should keep your water heater set to a temperature of 120 degrees F. If you set it to more than 140 degrees F, you will end up paying between $40 and $60 additionally every year from the heater trying to keep the water at that temperature.
I’m a nut about unplugging appliances and electronics that don’t need to be plugged in. Ask my nephew who couldn’t figure out why my toaster was taking so long (it was unplugged, of course).
I definitely need to be better about this. That is hilarious about your nephew! I can picture myself standing there for 10 minutes confused.
I wish that our homeowner’s association would allow us to paint our roof to match the exterior of our home. I would do it in a heart beat to save money. 🙂
These are great tips. I need to go downstairs and check out my water heater temperature.