Did you know that the rational use of electricity can save you up to several hundred dollars a year? Moreover, efficient media management supports an ecological lifestyle and is a tribute to environmental protection. Regardless of whether you’re keeping your wallet or the environment in mind, both are good reasons to start saving up on electrical bills! Below you will find several proven ways to reduce your electricity bills noticeably.
How to save money on electricity? Change your habits!
It’s definitely impossible to function without electricity in the modern world, so we are all doomed to pay high electricity costs or we can look for alternatives. Let’s focus on the savings that we can implement immediately.
High electricity bills are a problem for almost every Chicago family, so it is worth introducing changes that will allow you to save on bills today. While heating is by far the largest share of the energy used in running your home, you can also save by using many other household appliances. We do not consider whether it is profitable to buy devices that use less energy. Often, the difference in price, for example, of washing machines or refrigerators, is not due to the amount of energy used, but from many other characteristics, so it is very difficult to assess the profitability of the purchase. Let’s just assume that saving energy always pays off – not only in terms of money. Little or no interest in the rational use of energy and its wastage are the reasons for the degradation of the environment. We should change that without waiting for radical price increases to force us to do so. They will be inevitable as natural fuel resources are shrinking fast.
Here are some tips on how to reduce your electricity bill.
Saving Electricity: Electrical Appliances
The amount of energy consumed by electrical devices is indicated by their energy class. Ecologists and supporters of energy saving should avoid all devices with an energy class lower than A. Especially that most of the devices currently produced are, in fact, energy-efficient. This applies to refrigerators, washing machines and dishwashers, and therefore the biggest eaters of electricity. Refrigerator manufacturers usually tell you what their annual energy consumption is, so it’s easy to find the most energy-efficient appliance.
Hiring an licensed electrician in Chicago, IL not only takes the pressure off you having to know what wire goes where; we can also make sure that your appliances are wired for maximum energy efficiency.
Washing machine and dishwasher
If the operation of the washing machine and dishwasher is to be economical, you need to turn them on only when you collect enough clothes and enough dishes for it to be fully loaded. It’s always also better to avoid high temperature programs. 100 degrees F is usually enough for washing with detergents. Use economic programs with extended rinsing time and shortened spin cycle. In order to be able to wash the dishes in water at a lower temperature and with a shorter cycle, we should not wait for food residues to dry on them. This conflicts with the recommendation to load the dishwasher full – here you have to find a middle ground. Certainly, many larger families don’t have a problem with this, because their dishwashers fill up quickly. Also, avoid using the dishwasher’s drying program. Disabling this function (using the ECO or BIO program) will reduce the dishwasher’s energy consumption by approximately 30%.
Refrigerator
Place your fridge away from heat sources – primarily from the radiator, stove and oven – and protect it from sunlight. Air must circulate freely around the refrigerator (especially at the rear). It should also have sufficiently large ventilation grilles that cannot be covered with anything. The lack of ventilation extends the operating cycles of the aggregate, which means that the refrigerator can use up to several times more energy. Also, the condenser on the rear of the refrigerator must be regularly cleaned of dust and defrosted. Dust and ice hinder heat transfer, which means the refrigerator uses more electricity. To reduce the formation of frost, do not place warm food in your fridge. In order not to unnecessarily heat its interior, it must be opened as rarely as possible and for the shortest possible time. When you want to defrost food from the freezer, put it in the fridge, of course, in advance. Because the food is very cold, it will receive heat from the fridge’s interior and relieve the work of the aggregate, thus reducing the energy consumption of the refrigerator.
Stove
If you have the option to choose between a gas and electric stove, remember that gas costs less than electricity, and its combustion is less burdensome for the environment than the combustion of coal used in many power plants. When buying an electric cooker with a ceramic hob, choose a model with variable heater sizes, so as not to unnecessarily heat up too much of the hob surface by cooking in a small pot. Ideally, the pot should have a diameter that is nearly 1 inch larger than that of the heating area. It should also have a smooth and clean bottom. As the electric hob cools down for a long time, it is worth switching it off a few minutes before the end of cooking. Less energy (nearly 25%) is consumed by induction hobs, where there are no heating elements, and the heat is generated thanks to electromagnetic induction directly at the bottom of the pan. This is why it is necessary to use special pots and pans made of ferromagnetic steel.
Regular generator repair and maintenance
Regardless of the quality, brand or model of your generator, it requires specific maintenance that allows it to continue working without problems, and that in turn extends its lifespan. Proper maintenance is crucial to ensure that your generator as well as your home appliances continue to function safely and efficiently.
By having a trusted electrician perform regular repairs and maintenance tasks, you will not only save money on your energy bills, but will also make sure that your family and home are safe. Making generator repairs in a timely manner will help prevent bigger and more costly problems further down the line and thus will improve the overall efficiency of the generator and lower the costs of future repairs and your bills. By having a licensed electrician perform regular electrical inspections, you can not only lower your energy bills, but you can also make sure that your family and home are safe.
Call Wiktorowski Electrical Services, Inc at (847) 272-8011 to talk with one of our Customer Service Representatives (residential electrical service and commercial electrical service)