Energy expenses continue to rise as society becomes more dependent on electricity. If you’re tired of overpaying for energy, discover necessary changes for instantly reducing your energy bills.
Here are 3 major changes for reducing your home’s energy expenses:
Purchase Energy-Efficient Devices
Purchase energy-efficient devices to drastically decrease your home’s energy usage and expenses.
Energy-efficient devices refer to items using less energy to complete the same task, effectively eliminating wasted energy to save money. Discover energy-efficient devices and changes perfect for improving your home’s energy efficiency.
Change Lights
Change your lights to conserve energy. Traditional incandescent light bulbs consume unnecessary amounts of energy while releasing heat, which increases your electric bill. Energy-efficient light bulbs, including LEDs and CFLs, require less energy to produce a similar lighting effect. For example, LED lighting uses at least 75% less energy and lasts 25 times longer, meaning you save money and energy every time you flip a switch.
Install a Programmable Thermostat
Install a programmable thermostat to limit your energy consumption. HVAC systems account for 46% of an average home’s energy usage, meaning reevaluating your heating and cooling efforts is essential for drastically reducing your energy expenses.
Programmable thermostats allow you to create personalized settings for saving energy while you’re asleep, at work, or on vacation, saving about $180 every year. Additionally, smart thermostats allow you to control your home’s heating and cooling using your smartphone.
Buy Energy-Efficient Appliances
Buy energy-efficient appliances to successfully conserve energy. Energy-efficient appliances are priced similarly to regular models and use anywhere between 10% and 50% less energy, saving you hundreds of dollars every year on energy expenses. Find appliances featuring an “Energy Star” label, including refrigerators, dishwashers, ovens, stoves, washers, dryers, and water heaters, to instantly save money.
Change Energy Providers
Significantly reduce your next energy bill by changing energy providers if you live in a deregulated energy market.
Energy deregulation refers to restructuring the existing energy market by creating competition to prevent monopolies. Competitors purchase energy from producers and sell energy to customers, who are able to choose energy providers based on rates, terms, and products.
Deregulated energy markets continue to increase across the United States. Currently, about 30 states feature some form of energy deregulation. No state is completely regulated, but Texas offers the closest opportunity with about 85% of the state allowed to choose energy providers.
Choosing an Energy Provider
Choosing an energy provider involves three primary steps: Calculating your current rate, comparing rates and payment plans, and officially changing energy providers.
Calculate your current rate by reviewing your previous energy bills to determine your average rate. Understanding your current rate allows you to confidently choose a better deal and save money.
Compare rates and payment plans to find the best provider for your home. Use your calculated average to find a provider offering a lower rate. Review each provider’s payment plans, specifically regarding contracts. Generally, energy providers advertise fixed or variable rates. Fixed rates involve creating a contract to secure a rate over an extended period of time, usually lasting between 6 to 18 months. Variable rates fluctuate with the market demand to raise or lower prices. Choose a fixed-rate contract to avoid market fluctuations and guarantee budget certainty.
Change energy providers by contacting your preferred option to establish a contract outlining rates, payment plans, and products. Receive your new, reduced bill to officially change providers.
Choose your power in TX by changing energy providers to start saving money on energy expenses.
Consider Renewable Energy Options
Consider renewable energy to reduce, and potentially eliminate your energy expenses.
Traditional forms of electricity, specifically fossil fuels, emit carbon dioxide and other harmful gases during production, thus, increasing pollution and causing global warming. Renewable energy offers an environmentally-friendly alternative featuring naturally replenished and inexhaustible resources, such as sunlight, wind, and water. Benefits of renewable energy include:
- Reducing pollution to improve air quality and public health
- Avoiding emitting greenhouse gases to combat global warming
- Reducing your home’s carbon footprint to guarantee a better future
- Saving money by accessing free, natural resources
Create a Solar-Powered Home
Solar power is a popular option for homeowners to utilize renewable energy. Nowadays you can choose between buying or leasing solar power, depending on your budget. Solar power is freely collected, meaning your energy expenses are substantially, or even completed, reduced. Solar power involves converting sunlight into usable electricity using photovoltaic technology, generally referring to solar panels.
Determine the correct solar power system for your home by calculating the kilowatthours of power needed for completely covering your home’s energy usage. An average homeowner needs about 28 to 34 solar panels, costing anywhere between $10,000 and $40,000 for equipment and installation. Contact a solar installer to get started.
Reduce your home’s energy expenses by implementing these 3 major changes for success.
