High electric bills have gotten a lot of attention in recent months. It seems that every year, fees are raised, and the current economy has people struggling to keep up with the high costs. Even if you know what to expect and have the money, it hurts to see so much money going out the door every month. Learning which household items use the bulk of your electricity can help you implement innovative ways to curb their usage.

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Tough times can be beneficial – we can learn about energy waste and address any issues to save money, even after the economy recovers. Here are the three biggest energy-consuming culprits in your household.

How Air Conditioning Affects Your Electric Bills

It gets hot in Florida, there is no way around it. Central air systems use up to 50% of an average household’s electricity cost in any given month – but we cannot give up our A/C systems. So what can we do?

Any significant reduction in AC usage will lead to a noticeable difference in your bill every month. To stay cool, here are some tips:

  • Keep your AC systems up to date and clean. A poorly maintained AC unit will use up a lot of electricity without providing much relief from the heat. If properly functioning, your AC unit will have to work less, using less energy in the long run.
  • Upgrade to a newer model. Constant starts and stops, typical of older ACs, are responsible for a significant portion of their energy usage. More recent models can apply continuous streams of cool air at lower power, reducing the energy usage associated with powering up the unit as well as keeping your house more evenly chilled.
  • Make use of ceiling fans and portable fans. These are much more energy efficient than air conditioning and can be used when the heat is not unbearable. Using fans in addition to changing into appropriate clothing is usually more than adequate to feel perfectly relaxed inside of your home.
  • Invest in a smart thermostat. These devices allow you to raise the temperature when no one is home but still cool down the house before your arrival. Running an AC at full blast for an empty home is not helpful when it comes to saving energy.

Lighting, Appliances, and Electrical Usage

Reducing indoor lighting use is a simple and effective way to reduce your energy bill. Turning off all lights when you leave a room and only using them when necessary can make a meaningful impact on your home’s total energy usage. If you have large rooms with central lighting systems, consider utilizing lamps or other smaller lighting devices if you only need to illuminate one small area. Most importantly, make sure to use newer energy-efficient LED bulbs; they are over 4x as efficient as previous incandescent bulbs. LED bulbs also require less maintenance, so saving money is just an added benefit to the reduced hassle that these bulbs will bring.

Appliances are another group of items that use large amounts of energy in your home. Here are some tips for each of the major contributors to your electric bills:

  • Refrigerators: If your fridge is not functioning correctly, upgrade to a newer model. Make sure you do not keep your fridge open for extended periods so that it will not have to work overtime to keep everything cool.
  • Washer and Dryer: Keep your washer and dryer clean and use them efficiently by washing full loads whenever possible. To save even more energy, you may opt to utilize natural drying racks instead of a dedicated dryer machine. While humidity in Southwest Florida makes this difficult sometimes, they work great on a dry day.
  • Dishwashers: Dishwashers are generally more efficient than hand washing, and proper use can improve their energy efficiency even further. Pretreating specific hard-to-clean items helps to ensure a second washing cycle is unnecessary.

If you implement energy-saving strategies at home and are still unsatisfied with your monthly bill, it may be time to upgrade to newer efficient appliances. Representatives from the local power company can do an in-home assessment to help you determine your best course of action.

Electric bills are a fact of life, but you can take measures to consume less energy. If you are interested in upgrading your home’s electrical system with modern panels and wiring, call the experts at Promise Electric. We are proud to serve Sarasota area homeowners.