It is common for many homeowners to part with a large chunk of their salary in clearing utility bills on a monthly basis. Things get worse when you are facing a financial crisis as it will definitely prove difficult to make ends meet. So what measures can you put in place to cut down on utility bills without going through a lot? If you have been asking yourself this question, then you are not alone. Actually, many homeowners are looking for the perfect ways to reduce utility bills in their homes hassle-free. To offer a helping hand, here is how to reduce your utility bill effectively.
Install an Attic Insulation
If you are keen on how you use energy in your home, chances are you already realized more than half goes towards cooling and heating. The attic is usually the most notable culprit since heat rises and escapes there thus taking tolls on your utility bills. When not having enough insulation, then there is nothing you can do to prevent the heat from getting out. That is where attic insulation comes into play given that it reduces the amount of heat floating out.
Many homeowners believe installing attic insulation is only possible when you are well-off financially. This is not really the case considering you can get relatively cheaper attic insulation such as Fiberglass. By installing Fiberglass insulation, you are set to save about 20% on your cooling and heating costs through effective insulation of your home. What is even more fascinating is the fact that you can install attic insulation yourself thus saving more money.
Go With a Programmable Thermostat
Installing a programmable thermostat is one of the most affordable and effective ways you can use in reducing your utility bills. Adding a programmable thermostat is not extremely difficult as they all come with instructions to keep you going. Keep in mind the more you turn your thermostat up during the summer or down in winter, the more money you are going to save. While away, it would be better to set the temperature higher in the winter and further lower during summer. Luckily, you can always adjust it to a more comfortable temperature before going back home. Through this action, you are definitely going to reduce the utility bill in your home.
Repair Faulty Home Appliances
Many homeowners tend to forget about their household appliances until an issue arises and the appliance can no longer function properly. This in turn leads to high repair cost with some forced to replace a new appliance. What many fail to understand is that a faulty home appliance be it a washing machine, dishwasher, freezer or even a dryer can end up increasing utility bills in your home.
Faulty appliances draw too much energy thus draining on your utilities or worse lead to short circuits. Depending on the type of home appliance, this can be a major safety threat given that it can lead to fires. It is therefore mandatory to repair all faulty appliances to a high standard thus decreasing your utility bills while at the same time reducing the risk of a potential hazard. To pull this off successfully, you need to look for a renowned service provider offering appliance repair in Kitchener. By opting to repair all faulty appliances, you are not only going to improve their overall efficiency and longevity but also decrease your utility bills.
Install Weather Stripping
The amount of heat that escapes from your home together with the cold air getting in will have a huge impact on your utility bills. When a lot of outdoor air gets into your home, you are going to spend more on heating. This is also true if heat is lost from your home be it through the windows or doors. To avoid incurring additional costs in heating and cooling your home, consider installing weather stripping.
Weather stripping is quite easy to install regardless of whether you have the needed skills or not, and make a huge difference in keeping drafts out. You should however seek the help of professionals when encountering issues with the installation process. That way, you will benefit fully from your newly installed weather stripping.
Solar For Your Home
A number of homeowners have taken energy savings to a whole new level by adding solar panels to their home. If you want to take this route, you need to ensure the monthly savings on utility bills are more than enough to validate the high initial rate. Before, installing solar panels in your home, there are a number of factors you need to examine. Some of the most notable things you should check include available roof space, specific location, and rooflines direction to mention a few.
With solar panels, you no longer have to worry about high utility bills as they rely on solar rays from the sun to produce electricity. As you already know, solar panels generate more power during sunny summer months when compared to the rainy season. In order to save more consider investing in a bi-directional electricity meter so that excess power produced from the solar panels is sold back to the grid. Remember to carry out a detailed research on whether the savings after adding solar panels to your home are worthy the initial cost.
The Bottom Line
In order to cut down on your utility bills, you need to start by examining all the major household appliances that use both energy and water. Water heaters, washing machines, and dishwashers are usually the main culprits and hence you must repair them if at all they have issues. Keep in mind heater and air conditioning systems will play an important role when it comes to your utility bill. By turning the temperature down a little during the cold season or up when hot, you are certainly going to save hundreds of dollars in a year.
