If rising electricity prices are eating into your monthly budget then you must start looking at ways of reducing your monthly bills
. One of the ways of beating rising electricity prices is to look for a utility provider who charges lower rates. You can also reduce your monthly electricity bills by looking at ways to reduce your consumption.
There are several ways by which you can reduce your electricity bills without much change in your daily life. Here are a few tips which will help you save money by reducing your electricity consumption.
a) Try to set the maximum temperature of your water heat to 135 degrees or lower. This will not only reduce your electricity consumption but also help in reducing water consumption. When the water heater you use is maintained at a high temperature the system automatically adds cold water to prevent burns. If you have children at home then you need to set a maximum temperature of 120 degrees to avoid scalds on their skin.
b) Setting the thermostat level of all electric appliances 5 degrees below the suggested level will level reduce your electricity consumption by at least 5 per cent.
c) Most people are unaware that 20 per cent of the heat is lost because of leaks from their doors and windows. Some of the ways which will help reduce heat loss include weather stripping of the windows and doors and sealing the cracks on the flooring and the windows. When you prevent heat loss you can reduce your thermostat temperature by 5 degrees, which will help in reducing your electricity consumption.
d) The simplest and the easiest way of reducing your electricity consumption is by turning off the appliances that you are not using. Appliances like computers, printers, television sets, DVD players and music systems are energy guzzlers and switching them off when not in use can help in reduce your electricity bills. These electronic items consume nearly 35 per cent of the total electricity in most households.
e) Insulating the roof and the wall of your home will also help in reducing your electricity consumption. When you insulate your home you prevent energy loss, which helps in reducing your bills.
f) Most of you have heard that you can reduce your electricity consumption by replacing your light bulbs with CFL bulbs. But did you know that you can reduce your consumption by up to 75 per cent when you use CLF bulbs?
g) When using your washing machine, ensure you use only full load wash. Also set the cycle to the shortest and the coolest possible wash. All these measures will reduce electricity consumption, which helps in reducing your electricity bills.
h) To reduce electricity consumption it is important that you get your electric appliances checked and serviced at least once a year. Electric appliances like water heaters are known to develop loose gaskets, which have to be fixed. When you service these electrical appliances you not only reduce your electric bills but also reduce the possibility of electric breakdown.
These simple ways can bring down your consumption of electricity and will help in reducing your monthly expenses.