10 Tips to Save on Your Summer Utility Bill

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The weather is (thankfully) finally warming up and with the temperature rising, many people are also seeing their utility bills rise with them. Here are 10 ways that you can temper this to prepare your home and bank statement for the summer ahead.

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  1. Instead of using an irrigation timer, turn on your system when it needs it. An irrigation schedule is nice but also produces quite a bit of waste water.
  2. Use smart power strips. Make the conscious effort of turning off one power strip instead of unplugging each individual appliance at the end of the day.
  3. Use your ceiling fan to your advantage. In summer, run your ceiling fans counter-clockwise. This motion will help pull cold air up to the ceiling and will efficiently cool your home.
  4. Go green and buy a water cistern. A water cistern is a barrel that captures rain water and stores it for future use. It is exceptionally handy to keep up your garden, flower beds, and lawn when your area is experiencing a drought.
  5. Make the switch to LED bulbs. These bulbs tend to be a bit more expensive in the initial purchase but will save you energy and heat in the long run.
  6. Adjust your thermostat for the time of day. During the day, make sure to leave your thermostat at a higher temperature while you are not there and lower it at night and in the morning to be comfortable. A programmable thermostat will effortlessly control this for you.
  7. Keep your blinds closed during the day. By keeping your blinds closed during the day, it will reduce the amount of direct sunlight your home receives, thereby keeping your rooms cooler.
  8. Take the time to clean out your air filters and vents. Instead of closing your vents in rooms that you don’t use, keep them all open and give them a good cleaning. By closing some of your vents, you are causing your A/C system to work harder than it needs to.
  9. Service your HVAC system before it needs it. Avoid the nightmare of having a broken HVAC system in the dead heat of the summer by cleaning out filters and checking the outdoor unit for any damage.
  10. Do your laundry in cold water and make sure to have full loads. You will use the same amount of energy and water no matter how many clothes you have in your washer, make sure to fill it up!

Save your bank statement and yourself the stress of high summer energy bills by following these easy instructions! If you are looking for even more savings ideas, check out our Shorewest blog!

Source Credit: RISMedia’s Housecall

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Categories: Home Improvement, Homeowner, How to, Real Estate Tips, Shorewest Tips

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